A Rose's Nightmare
by AnimeKiwi369
Summary: When Akiza begins to have a recurring nightmare, she distances herself from her friends, believing her deepest fears will come true. And when Sayer returns, she challenges him to a duel. Will she protect her friends or end up destroying herself trying?
1. Chapter 1: The Nightmare

AnimeKiwi369: I'm baaaack! And have a new story. This story mainly focuses on Akiza.

Akiza: Should I be honored or afraid?

AnimeKiwi369: Read and find out. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters, only the story. This chapter focuses on Akiza and Yusei mainly. Please enjoy my second fanfiction!

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A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 1: The Nightmare

Akiza tossed violently in her sleep. She was dreaming she was The Black Rose again, completely under Sayer's control, and battling Misty in a shadow duel. The dream was getting worse and worse; her powers wouldn't obey her and then…..and then…..her powers got aimed at the best person in her life. _She_ hurt the most important person in her life. The only person she could love with all her heart. She rushed over to him, forgetting the duel, calling to him, but he wouldn't respond. Wouldn't look at her. Wouldn't open his eyes. He couldn't. A trickle of blood was coming from his temple and seeping through his chest. She tried to hear his heartbeat, getting his blood on the side of her head, but couldn't hear a thing. She had lost him; he was dead. She _really_ _was_ a monster. Her life meant nothing now. It was so real. Too real. Tears streamed down her face and cried out his name between her screams for it to stop as her nightmare replayed over and over. She couldn't break free of her barrier of unconsciousness.

"Akiza!" a familiar voice called to her through the barrier.

She trembled violently as the voice called out to her. Was she imagining it? She had to be; she had killed him.

"Akiza, wake up!" the voice called again, worried. _Worried?_ She _had_ to be imagining it. After all, who would be worried about a _monster?_

She felt someone shaking her as the images of her nightmare replayed in her mind. But it didn't make a difference. She couldn't stop shaking or crying anyway.

"Akiza, please, snap out of it!" _his_ voice called out once again. She opened her eyes with a start. She was still trembling and crying violently. He sat on her bed, looking right at her, his soul-reading eyes full of concern. Akiza sat up quickly and threw her arms around his neck.

"Yusei! You're okay!" she cried, "You're safe!"

"Yusei, what happened to Akiza?" Luna asked from the doorway.

"Is she going to be okay?" Leo asked.

"You guys go back to bed. I'll handle this." Yusei said softly.

"C'mon you two." Crow said, guiding the twins back to their rooms.

"Yusei, calm her down, so we can all get some sleep." Jack ordered, irritated he had been waked by the psychic's screaming and Yusei glared at him.

For the past several weeks, the older Signers had been staying with the twins since their parents were away almost all the time. It had been fifteen months since the defeat of the Dark Signers and things had settled back to normal. As normal as it could get, anyway.

"Yusei!" Akiza cried, "I'm so glad you're safe."

Yusei gently put his arms around her, and pulled her into his chest, "Yes, Akiza. I'm safe, I'm all right."

"I dreamt…I dreamt..." she couldn't finish the sentence; more tears came to her eyes as she thought about what she had done to him in her nightmare.

"It's okay, Akiza. It was just a dream." He whispered, stroking her hair. She laid her head against his chest and clutched his nightshirt as she cried. Yusei pulled her closer and put his head on top of hers.

"Akiza, you don't have to worry, I'm safe. It's all right. It was only a dream. Just a dream. Shhh, it's okay Akiza." He continued to whisper in her ear.

"Yusei, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please, forgive me." She begged, thinking of her dream and the pain she caused him; it had been so real, that, for a moment, she thought it was, "Please, Yusei, I'm sorry."

"Akiza, it was just a dream." He tried insisting, confused on why she was apologizing.

"But I've hurt you before." Her words were muffled as she spoke into his nightshirt.

"That's behind us now, Aki—"

"No, it's not!" she interrupted, "I've caused you too much pain. I'm nothing but a monster."

"Shhh." He repeated in a soft voice, "You're not a monster. Hush, Akiza, it's all right."

She cried in silence for several more. Eventually her crying ceased but she still clutched his shirt, unwilling to let go. Yusei pulled her back to look at her. She had never looked like this in the months he had known her. Akiza looked purely terrified. He only got a brief look because she buried her head back in his chest.

_What frightened Akiza so much from that nightmare to make her act like this? _Yusei wondered, _What exactly went on in that dream?_

Yusei continued to stroke Akiza's hair, trying to comfort her. He always tried to help his friends, but Akiza was different. She was like a rose—she could be dangerous, sharp…and very fragile. _And beautiful_, he thought. She was just like a rose. And she needed care; especially since Misty's Earthbound Immortal had swallowed Sayer. He pulled her back again, and caressed her face with one of his hands, keeping the other securely around her. Yusei dried her eyes and looked deeply into them. Akiza looked away from his soft, yet penetrating, gaze and put her head back on his chest. She listened closely to his heartbeat. After that nightmare, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever heard. She closed her eyes, trying to memorize the pattern. The sound was so reassuring. So relaxing.

"Akiza?"

"Hmm?" she had momentarily forgotten she was in Yusei's arms, listening to the wonderful sound coming from his heart.

"Are you okay now?" Akiza nodded ever so slightly against his chest, enjoying the warmth his touch was giving her. "Do you want to talk about it?" She pulled back and shook her head.

"I don't want to relive that horrible dream." She whispered, "For now, Yusei, just hold me. Please, just don't leave me."

"All right, Akiza. I won't leave you." She buried her head into his chest again as a 'thank you'.

For over an hour, she kept herself as close to Yusei as she could. He was safe and that's all that mattered to her right now. Akiza moved one of her hands from his shirt up to his face and traced it along his features, and ran it through his hair, making sure she wasn't dreaming about his comfort.

"Akiza, what are you doing?" he asked quietly.

"Making sure you're real; that this isn't a dream. That you're not hurt." She trembled as she said the last four words. She felt more tears stream down her face and Akiza turned her head back into Yusei's nightshirt. After that stream of tears was over, she breathed in a sharp breath of his scent. Akiza moved her hand down Yusei's face and chest and placed it under his shirt. She ran her hand across his stomach and up his muscular chest until she reached his heart, and placed a trembling hand over it. He was so warm. So calming. So real.

"Akiza…" Yusei whispered. Her slender hand trembled, sending chills up his spine, as she moved it from his stomach to his chest. He began to stroke her hair again and rocked her ever so slightly.

Akiza began feeling very drowsy after a while, but didn't make a move to lie back down. Her eyes slowly closed and before she fell back into unconsciousness, she whispered something not audible enough for Yusei to hear.

"What is it, Akiza? What did you say?" he asked, feeling her body grow heavy and her breathing become deep.

"I'm sorry. For everything. Yusei, I…" She managed to get out before she fell back into unconsciousness, leaving him confused. _Yusei, I…? _Then what was she going to say?

He tried to gently pry her hand from his shirt, but her grip was too tight. He gave up and adjusted himself better on the bed and lied down on the top of the covers, with Akiza still clinging to him from under the covers of the bed and stayed with her for the rest of the night. For now he was wide awake and just watched her sleep. Yusei kept stroking her cheek to get her to stop trembling, but she wouldn't stop shaking and he kept one arm around her to keep her close. She still had one of her hands placed on his chest, under his nightshirt. Akiza nuzzled her head against him, causing him to feel a little bit of heat in his face. Several times throughout the night a few tears trickled from her closed eyes and Yusei dried her tears each time they streamed down her cheeks.

_Akiza, what scared you so much? What scared you so much that it would cause you to act like this? What went on in that nightmare? _He wondered through the night. After a while, Yusei began to feel tired and he let himself fall asleep next to Akiza.

Akiza stirred and felt something warm around her. She lazily opened her eyes to see Yusei right in front of her. She was initially confused, but then remembered the nightmare she had had last night and that Yusei had been the one to comfort her. His eyes were closed and she felt his chest moving from under her head and one of her hands; she felt his nightshirt against her head and found one of her hands still clutching it and the other under it, on his chest, over his heart. He still had one arm around her. Akiza unconsciously nuzzled his chest still enjoying the comfort she was getting from his strong, yet light, touch.

Yusei felt something against his chest and opened his eyes to see Akiza nuzzling her head against him. He smiled down at her a little.

"Good morning, Akiza."

She was startled when Yusei spoke and she looked up at him, "Good morning, Yusei." She replied quietly.

"Do you feel any better?" she nodded slightly, "Do you want to talk about your nightmare, now?"

"No," she said quietly, shaking her head, "I _never_ want to relive that dream again. _Ever_."

"Okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." He told her gently, sitting up, taking her with him as he did so. She took her hands away from him, sending chills up his spine again as her hand ran down his chest and stomach as she removed her hand from under her nightshirt, "I should get back to my room." He said as he got off her bed.

"Yeah," she agreed, regaining her usual personality, "we don't want the others to get any ideas." She said, with a small amount of humor. He moved towards the door, "Yusei, wait."

"Yes, Akiza?" he asked, a quizzical look in his eyes.

"Thank you…for helping me last night. For everything."

"You don't need to thank me, Akiza. I would do anything to help you. I care about you." He told her before he walked out of the room. After he left, she laid back down on the bed, starting to tremble again; starting to lose her composure again. Yusei had stayed with her all night. He cared about her. But then again, he cared about all his friends. She sat up and looked at her trembling Mark for several minutes. _That nightmare, _she thought, _is everything I'm afraid of…..for my friends. For Yusei_._ And if I don't do something, that dream might not be a dream anymore. _

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AnimeKiwi369: Well the first chapter is finished.

Akiza: I'm not sure what to think.

AnimeKiwi369: When you figure it out, tell me. Please review and review kindly please.


	2. Chapter 2: Hestiant Duel

AnimeKiwi369: I'm going to get right to it today.

Akiza: Running out of things to say?

AnimeKiwi369: Unfortunately. This chapter again focuses on Akiza. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters, just the story for this fanfiction.

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A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 2: Hesitant Duel

Akiza got up and dressed slowly, the images from her nightmare playing in the back of her mind. She had to lean against the wall when the image of Yusei came up. It was only a dream. That's what Yusei kept telling her. She felt dizzy seeing those terrible images and she had to take a deep breath to steady her thoughts. There was a small knock at her borrowed room, thankfully snapping her out of her thoughts; Luna opened the door.

"Akiza, are you coming down?"

"Yes, Luna, I'm coming." She told the young Signer coming to the doorway and walked out with her.

"Are you okay, Akiza? You seemed really scared last night." Luna asked and she sighed. Akiza didn't want to talk about that right now. But Luna couldn't help it. She was a kind, caring, curious young girl. She only wanted to know what was wrong.

"I just had a really bad nightmare. The kind where all of it seems real." She said looking away.

"Oh." Luna responded quietly, "I hate those kinds of dreams."

The two girls walked in silence downstairs, where Leo was telling the older boys about something that had to be exciting because he was using his arms in big movements and expressions, which they Yusei and Crow found amusing.

"Then there was a flash of light and when things went back to normal, Dexter's life points were down to zero." Leo finished with a big smile.

"That's really great Leo." Yusei commented as the two girls came to join them.

"You two missed a great retelling of Leo's duel yesterday." Crow said, turning around to the female Signers.

"It wasn't all that great." Jack commented and Leo glared at him.

"You're just jealous 'cause you haven't gotten to duel anyone in a long time." Leo accused and Jack ignored him.

"Hey Leo," Yusei started, "how about we have a duel."

"Yeah!" the young boy exclaimed.

"Don't leave me out of the action." Crow said, "I play winner."

"You're not leaving me out of this either." Jack told them.

"Sounds like a plan." Yusei announced standing up.

"Oh, Yeah!" Leo exclaimed again, "This is gonna be awesome!" he turned towards his sister and the older female, "What about you two? Are you guys gonna duel with us?"

"Sure, Leo. I'll join in." Luna told him and looked up at the psychic, "What about you Akiza?"

"I don't know." She responded, thinking back to what her powers could do.

"Aw! C'mon, Akiza! Come duel with us." Leo begged

"Yeah, Akiza." Crow put in, "Let's have a duel later. The only one of us you've ever faced is Yusei."

"Fine," she gave in, "I'll duel with you guys. Let me go get my duel disk."

Akiza went back up to her room and grabbed the red duel disk off the nightstand by her bed. When she touched her deck, she suddenly got a sharp pain in her head and had to grip the edges of the nightstand to steady herself. _What was that?_ She wondered when the sharp pain had passed. _Probably just a headache. _She said to herself and grabbed her deck. Akiza walked back downstairs, where the only one down there was Luna.

"Why aren't you outside with the others?" she asked the young girl.

"I just thought it'd be nicer if you didn't come down to an empty room." Luna said in a kind tone.

"Oh. Thanks Luna." The younger Singer gave a small smile and the two girls walked outside, where Yusei and Leo where in the middle of their duel. Naturally Yusei had the upper hand.

"Stardust Dragon, attack Leo directly." Yusei said. Leo had 800 life points left and with Yusei's attack, the non-Signer lost.

"Yusei, your dueling is as awesome as ever!" Leo exclaimed.

"Thanks, Leo." The dark-haired Signer said. "Your skills are really improving."

"All right Yusei. My turn to go against you." Crow announced, cracking his knuckles as he stood up with a reckless and confident grin.

The two boys got to set dueling. Luna went and sat down by her brother on a nearby bench, leaving Akiza by herself by the door. She leaned against the side of the twins' mansion and watched the other two Signers duel. Both were evenly matched, but in the end Yusei won again.

"I don't think anyone can beat Yusei." Luna said to her twin.

"I can beat him." Jack told them confidently. "I'm next."

After a much longer duel between Yusei and Jack, which of course Yusei won again, Luna dueled against her and Leo's older brother figure. Akiza was dreading when the duel would be over because then she'd be the one dueling. As the Yusei and Luna's went on, Akiza's thoughts drifted back to her nightmare. Did she really want to duel after what she did to Yusei in her dream? Akiza thought she had complete control over her powers, but she after that dream, could she be sure?

"Akiza?" Luna asked, snapping the psychic out of her thoughts.

"What?" she asked.

"You're next to duel Yusei." She responded.

"Oh. Right." Akiza said in a soft voice and walked to her side of the field.

"Ready, Akiza?" Yusei inquired with concern in his voice. He still didn't know what happened in that nightmare to frighten her so much the night before and wasn't sure if she was up to dueling.

"As I'll ever be." She answered without emotion. _Do I really want to take a chance with my powers? _She asked herself.

"Let's DUEL!" they both shouted.

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 4000

"You can have the first turn, Akiza. As they say, ladies first."

"All right. My draw. And from my hand I summon Wall of Ivy in defense mode." A green wall covered in ivy and thorns emerged on her field. "With that I end my turn." _Maybe, if I play defensively and throw the duel, my powers won't hurt anyone. I won't hurt Yusei. _She thought to herself.

Wall of Ivy: Lv. 2. 1200 DEF/300ATK

"My move, then."

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 4000

"I summon Speed Warrior in attack mode." He told her and the machine-like warrior on skates appeared on his field.

Speed Warrior: Lv. 2. 900 ATK/400 DEF

"Now I play the Card Rotator spell card, so by sending one card in my hand to the graveyard, I can switch your Wall of Ivy into attack mode."

"What?" she exclaimed with fake frustration. _Yes, Yusei. Defeat me quickly, so my powers don't hurt you. _Akiza thought quickly.

"And don't forget, Akiza, my warrior's attack points double on the turn it's summoned. Now Speed Warrior, attack her Wall of Ivy."

Speed Warrior: 1800 ATK; Wall of Ivy: 300 ATK

Akiza's plant monster was destroyed and her life points took a hit.

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 2500 ATK

"You seemed to have forgotten, Yusei. When my Wall of Ivy is destroyed, an Ivy Token is summoned to your field in defense mode." Akiza explained in a neutral expression.

"I think I'll throw down a card face down and end my turn." Yusei said as her Ivy Token appeared on his field, "Your move."

Ivy Token: Lv. 1. 0 DEF /0 ATK

"My draw." She started, drawing a card. "I summon Twilight Rose Knight in attack mode. I place one card face down and end my turn."

Twilight Rose Knight: Lv. 3. 1000 ATK/1000 DEF

"Akiza, what gives? You're not dueling like you usually do!" Crow asked from the sidelines.

"I know what I'm doing, Crow!" she yelled.

"Crow's right. Are you sure you want to keep dueling?" Yusei asked in a caring voice. _Akiza, what wrong? You've never dueled like this, _he thought, _why are dueling like this now. Does it have to do with that nightmare? _

"I'm fine!" she insisted. _They're right. I'm giving myself away, _she thought, _If I don't want the others to figure out I'm throwing the duel, I'll have to duel with more of my usual self. _Akiza concluded, with a disappointed and annoyed sigh.

"All right then. I draw. And I summon Junk Synchron in attack mode." The orange machine type tuner monster appeared on Yusei's field.

Junk Synchron: Lv. 3. 1300 ATK/500 DEF

"Now I tune Junk Synchron with Speed Warrior to synchro summon Junk Warrior." the orange machine turned into three green rings and encircled his warrior, which had turned into two stars. There was a flash of light and the purple warrior appeared on his field.

Junk Warrior: Lv. 5. 2300 ATK/ 1300 DEF

"Now Junk Warrior attack her knight."

Junk Warrior: 2300 ATK; Twilight Rose Knight: 1000 ATK

Again Akiza's only monster was destroyed and her life points took another hit.

"I end my turn." Yusei announced.

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 1200

"My turn and I draw. I summon Witch of the Black Rose." A little witch-like monster appeared on her field.

Witch of the Black Rose: Lv. 4. 1700 ATK/ 1200 DEF

"Now I use her special ability to shuffle my deck and draw another card. If it's anything other than a monster card, Witch of the Black Rose will destroy it and itself. But if it is a monster card, I can add it to my hand." Her deck shuffled and she drew another card, hoping it wouldn't be a monster card. She looked at her card: Rose Fairy. She suppressed a sigh and put on a determined face, even though she wasn't determined to win. "This is Rose Fairy and when it moves from my deck to my hand by an effect, I can instantly summon it to my field." A little pink fairy with rose bud on its head appeared on her field next to her other monster.

Rose Fairy: Lv. 3. 600 ATK/1200 DEF

"Now I tune Witch of the Black Rose with Rose Fairy to synchro summon Black Rose Dragon." Her witch turned into four green rings and encircled her fairy, which had turned into three stars; there was a flash of light before the beautiful red rose petal dragon floated gracefully above her. As her beloved dragon appeared, she marveled at its beauty; everyone did. It truly was a beautiful dragon; Akiza loved her dragon. But as it floated above her, the sharp pain she felt when she touched her deck came back only worse and she had to grab her head to steady herself again.

Black Rose Dragon: Lv. 7. 2400 ATK/1800 DEF

"Is everything all right, Akiza?" Yusei asked her, still concerned about what had scared her last night.

"I'm fine!" she told him a bit hurriedly, "I use one of Black Rose Dragon's ability. So by removing my Wall of Ivy from play, I can reduce your warrior's attack points to zero. Now Black Rose Dragon, attack Junk Warrior."

Black Rose Dragon: 2400 ATK; Junk Warrior: 0 ATK

As her dragon descended on his warrior, she felt another sharp pain. But this one was different. The pain was sharper, and didn't go away like the others. And the pain wasn't just in her head, but in her heart too. As her beast was about to attack his monster, the images from her nightmare reentered her vision. It was all she could see. Her world dissolved around her as her nightmare overtook her senses. Akiza began to start trembling again.

"Stop!" she yelled and her attack stopped, afraid her attack would hurt Yusei, like in her nightmare. As pain she felt intensified she collapsed on the ground gripping her head.

"Akiza!"

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AnimeKiwi369: And there's chapter two.

Akiza: Why are you writing this?

AnimeKiwi369: Because I can and it's my story.

Akiza: I hate you.

AnimeKiwi369: If you feel that way, maybe I'll get a new co-host. Crow, perhaps?

Crow: Someone say my name?

AnimeKiwi369: Please read and review. And be kind in reviewing please.


	3. Chapter 3: Black Rose's Warning

AnimeKiwi369: The third chapter is up!

Akiza: Oh, goodie.

AnimeKiwi369: What's with you?

Akiza: I'd really like to know when this story ends.

AnimeKiwi369: When it is, you won't.

Akiza: What's that supposed to mean?

AnimeKiwi369: Like I keep saying, read and find out. This chapter focuses on Luna at the end. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters in any way. I only own the story for this fanfiction.

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A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 3: Black Rose's Warning

Everyone rushed over to the psychic crouched on the ground.

"Akiza, what's wrong?" Luna asked her, concerned, putting a hand on her shoulder. The older girl shrugged off the kind gesture.

"Guys, let her have some air." Crow suggested and they backed off a little bit. Yusei crouched down to Akiza's level and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Akiza, please, tell us. What's wrong?" He asked her softly.

"Yeah, Akiza tell us what's going on with you." Leo said.

"Let Yusei handle this." Jack told him.

Akiza looked up, tears unconsciously streaming down face. The pain just got sharper when she saw Yusei blue-indigo eyes looking at her. Abruptly, she stood up and shouted, "I'm fine!" before she ran back into the twins' apartment and up to her room, slamming and locking her door behind her.

"She's definitely not fine." Crow announced.

"Yeah, no kidding." Jack agreed.

"Yusei, do you know what's wrong with her?" Luna asked.

"I don't, Luna. But I'm sure it has to do with the nightmare she had last night."

"Did she tell you what happened in her nightmare?" Leo asked

"No. Both times I asked her, she wouldn't tell me, so I didn't press further. But now I'm beginning to wonder if letting her keep it to herself was the right choice. You guys stay here and have fun. I gonna go see if I can help Akiza at all." He walked inside and up to Akiza's room. Her door was closed; he tried to open it: locked.

"Akiza?" he asked, knocking, "Come on out. Let me help you." there was no answer, and he sighed, "If you want to talk about it, you know where to find me and the others."

Akiza listened as Yusei's footsteps got softer and softer. She sat leaning against the opposite wall with her head resting on her knees. The sharp pain still remained, though it was diminishing. But the pain seemed worse in her heart than her head at the moment.

"Yusei," she whispered, "I can't tell you what's wrong. You wouldn't understand unless you knew how I felt about you." Akiza had known for several months that she had _very_ strong feelings for the dark-haired Signer. But she didn't want to tell him. After all the disappointment in her past, she didn't want any more. She still getting used to no disappointment. As the pain in her heart and head died away, she fell into a long, uneasy sleep.

The night progressed and Akiza still didn't come out of her room. Everyone, even Jack, was worried; especially Yusei.

"I've never seen Akiza like that." Crow stated after dinner.

"None of us have." Jack responded.

"I just wish she'd tell us what wrong." Leo said, "We _are_ her friends after all."

"I think it might go deeper than that, Leo." Luna suggested, "Didn't you guys notice how reluctant she was to duel and how she only ran to her room when she looked at Yusei?"

"Yeah." Yusei replied, "Something in that nightmare _had_ to have caused it and how she's acting. I'm sure of it."

"How are you so sure?" Jack demanded.

"Last night she kept apologizing."

"And didn't she say something like 'You're safe' when she finally woke up?" Luna inquired.

"Yeah," he nodded, "She said a lot of that. She also mentioned her powers a couple times."

"You don't think she's worried about her powers running wild, do you Yusei?" Leo asked, "That would explain why Akiza was reluctant to duel."

"Maybe." He answered. There was a pondering silence for several moments until a sudden scream broke it. There was only one person in the twins' mansion that wasn't in the living room: Akiza.

Yusei was the first out of his seat and to dash up the stairs; he tried to open the door: still locked.

"Akiza, open the door." He said, though he knew she wasn't going to answer. There wasn't answer; there was no sound, just silence.

"Locked?" Crow asked and he nodded to his friend. The ginger-haired duelist turned towards Luna, "Do you have any hair pins, Luna?" she nodded, "Good. Can you please go get a couple?"

"Sure, Crow." She responded and left. She returned a couple minutes later and handed a hairpin to the Satellite.

"When you're in the thieving business, you pick up a few tricks, even if you're not thieving anymore." Crow explained, as he crouched down to the lock's height and inserted the pin to unlock the door. "And voila." He said, opening the door. Yusei hesitantly stepped inside and looked around for Akiza. She was huddled on the floor, shaking again; he quickly and quietly walked over to her and kneeled down to her height again. Her head was buried in her knees, which were pulled up to her chest. Yusei reached a hand to her cheek and moved it to her chin; he tipped her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. She had been crying again and she looked away from his gaze again.

"Akiza, please, look at me." She moved her eyes back to his. Her amber eyes had the same frightened look as they had last night. It was that nightmare again. Yusei was sure of it. As a new flow of tears ran down her face, Akiza felt herself being pulled back into Yusei's chest. She heard his heartbeat again as her head landed on his chest.

"It's all right. You don't have to be afraid. It was only a dream." He whispered quietly in her ear as he stroked her hair again; the others quietly slipped out of the room, leaving them alone. For a few minutes, she stayed in his grip, while her tears ran down her face. When her tears and trembling stopped, she pulled back from Yusei and he took his arms away.

"Thank you." She said, "Again."

"It's no problem."

"I'm sorry if I worried you. I fell asleep and that dream came back."

"Don't worry about it, Akiza." He stood up and offered his hand to her. She took it and he helped her up. "It's a little early, but I think you need to get a good night's sleep. Better sleep."

She trembled again for a second, but quickly stopped so he wouldn't see, "I think you're right. I need to get some better sleep." She agreed, hiding her fear. Yusei began to move towards her door and sensed her feeling.

"If you need me, I'm just down the hall." He told her.

"All right." She responded, "I'll remember that."

As he closed the door to her room, she thought she saw a worried look on his face. Akiza quietly got ready for bed, though she didn't plan on sleeping. She sat in bed for a few hours trying to read, but her focus kept returning to Yusei and that nightmare.

_Why can't I stop thinking about that dream? _She asked herself, _It was just a dream, wasn't it? I don't want hurt Yusei. Whether it's a dream or reality. _

"I don't want to fall asleep." She said to the empty room, "If I do, that dream might come back."

Akiza tried to stay awake all night, but she eventually lost the battle to not fall asleep. For most of the night there was nothing. No dreams, no nightmares, just black. But then as the night broke into dawn, the nightmare returned. Only it was more vivid than ever. As the dream came to its horrifying climax of her powers killing Yusei, she yelled for it to stop in her dream and woke with a start.

Her heart was pounding against her chest, and sweat was pouring down her face; and her body trembled again. She hadn't woken anyone up this time.

"Three times in two days." She said to herself in a shaky voice as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She glanced at her clock. 8:32. Akiza got up and dressed, not trusting to try to sleep anymore. She walked downstairs; the only ones down there were Yusei and Luna. The female twin was the first to notice her.

"Good Morning, Akiza." She greeted cheerfully.

"Morning." She responded as cheerfully as possible, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"Did you sleep well?" Yusei asked

"Very." She lied; she had been good at hiding her emotions since her days in Arcadia. "You were right, Yusei. I just need a good night's rest." _Though I didn't get one._ She thought to herself. "Where are the others?"

"Still sleeping." Luna answered

"Do you want to finish the duel we started yesterday? You don't have to if you don't want—" he started but was cut off by Akiza putting a finger to his lips.

"I'd like that." she told him as an idea formed in her head. _Maybe if I finish the duel, these dreams will go away. It's worth a try. _She thought to herself. Akiza turned towards Luna, "Could you go get my duel disk and deck for me, Luna? I'd like to have a couple minutes of air before we start the duel."

"Um…sure Akiza." she responded and left for the older girl's room as the other two walked outside. She walked into the darkened room and over to the dresser where the psychic's duel disk and deck were. She picked up the deck.

"Luna." Came a female voice that sounded like velvet. Luna looked up and stumbled backward a little.

"Bl-Black R-Rose Dr-Dragon?" she stuttered seeing the huge Signer dragon spirit in the middle of the room.

"Yes. Luna, you must listen to me."

"Yes, Black Rose Dragon? What is it?" she asked.

"My mistress. She's in distress. Do you remember the other night when she woke everyone except herself screaming?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "Yusei was the only one who could wake her."

"There's a reason for that, but that nightmare she had, it wasn't just a one time, every time she sleeps, that nightmare returns to my mistress' thought."

"What? But why?"

"The first was just a simple nightmare, but it frightened her so much that she can't stop thinking about, which is causing the nightmare to recur in her sleep."

"Well, do you know what goes on in her nightmare? Why it frightens her so much?"

"My mistress becomes under control of the one who betrayed and used her for his own personal gain."

"Sayer?" she guessed.

"We in her deck do not mention his name. We dare not mention it." Black Rose Dragon explained, "But in this nightmare she becomes under his complete control, while battling the former Dark Signer Misty Tredwell. And her powers run wild in this dream, so wild that she injures and kills her only true savior. And love."

"K-kills?" Luna stammered.

"Yes. And that's about where she wakes up."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"All of us in her deck—and we have noticed that the rest of you are too—are worried about her. We're afraid for her health…and sanity. She keeps getting a pain in her head and heart that is sharp as a knife, and won't leave her. It's caused by her nightmare. That pain is her own worry that she'll hurt her friends and her savior."

"How can you tell she has that pain?" the youngest Signer inquired.

"Do you remember when she collapsed, yesterday?" Luna nodded, "That was the result of the sharpest pain she has felt yet. You—her friends—must help her at all costs. This nightmare is ruling her life. And we're beginning to think that's it's not just a coincidence anymore and if it doesn't cease, she'll eventually destroy herself. Please, you must help my mistress. Before it's too late." She warned as she began fading from Luna's sight.

"What do you mean 'Before it's too late'?"

"Please you must help." Black Rose repeated.

"Wait! Black Rose Dragon! Don't go!" Luna called, but it was too late. Black Rose Dragon was gone.

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: Am I evil or what?

Akiza: This is why I wish you'd finish the story already.

AnimeKiwi369: Hey! This is my story.

Akiza: Unfortunately, I'm aware of that.

AnimeKiwi369: Please be a kind person and review. And please also be kind when reviewing.


	4. Chapter 4: Dueling Disaster

AnimeKiwi369: Akiza and Yusei are dueling again.

Akiza: Yay.

AnimeKiwi369: Why are you using sarcasm?

Akiza: Because I can.

AnimeKiwi369: Sigh. My own comeback used against me. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters. I only own the story.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 4: Dueling Disaster

Luna came back downstairs confused. What did Black Rose Dragon mean by 'Before it's too late'? She saw Yusei and Akiza outside and joined them with the psychic's duel disk and worried deck.

"I was beginning to wonder if you fell asleep in there." The older girl commented, with a fake smile.

"Sorry about that." Luna apologized, and handed the deck and duel disk to the rightful owner.

"Ready to finish what we started yesterday?" Yusei asked, though he was concerned for his fellow Signer. Akiza nodded and took several steps away from her savior.

"I won't be going easy this time, Yusei." She warned. _At least not in the beginning_. She added mentally. _AS long as I finish the duel, maybe the dreams will go away._

"All right then." She responded as Luna sat on the nearby bench.

"Let's duel!" they shouted. As they said this, Akiza got the same intense pain in her head and heart came back, but she ignored it.

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 4000

"I'm going first." Akiza announced.

"I'd have let you have the first turn anyway." Yusei commented

"My draw." She said ignoring him, "For my first move I summon Twilight Rose Knight." The knight-like creature appeared in front of her.

Twilight Rose Knight: Lv. 3. 1000 ATK/1000 DEF

"Now I use his special ability to special summon a level four or below monster from my hand. And I summon Lord Poison." She said, as the plant creature appeared.

Lord Poison: Lv. 4. 1500 ATK/1000 DEF

"I think you know what happens next, Yusei." Akiza told him in a neutral voice.

"Synchro summon." He stated; he'd seen her use that method plenty of times.

"That's right. I tune my level three Twilight Rose Knight with my level four Lord Poison to synchro summon Black Rose Dragon!" Her knight turned into three green rings and encircled her other monster that had became four stars. There was a column of light and when it disappeared, the red petal-winged dragon took its place on the field. Akiza ignored the constant sharp pain in her skull and chest, though she stumbled to the side a little to the side when it increased dramatically. "I place one card face down and end my turn." She announced, struggling to not grip her head and reveal what she felt.

Black Rose Dragon: Lv. 7. 2400 ATK/1800 DEF

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 4000

"All right then. My turn and I draw." Yusei started, "First I'll play The Tuning spell card to select and tuner monster from my deck as long as I send one card for the level of the tuner. I select Junk Synchron and send three cards to the graveyard. And now I summon the monster I just pulled from deck." The orange machine materialized on his field.

Junk Synchron: Lv. 3. 1300 ATK/500 DEF

"And now I play Double Summon, which allows me to normal summon once more this turn and I summon Speed Warrior." The machine-like monster appeared, just like their last duel.

Speed Warrior: Lv. 2. 900 ATK/400 DEF

"And now I use my Junk Synchron's special ability to special summon a level two or below monster from my graveyard in defense mode and I'm bringing back Sonic Chick." The pink chick appeared.

Sonic Chick: Lv. 1. 300 DEF/300 ATK

"And now I use the ability of the Quillbolt Hedgehog in my graveyard. You see, Akiza, when I have a face-up tuner on my field, I can special summon it from my graveyard." An orange hedgehog with bolts on its back appeared.

Quillbolt Hedgehog: Lv. 2. 800 ATK/800 DEF

"I have a feeling I know what's coming." Luna said to herself as Akiza thought the same thing.

"You're going to synchro summon." She guessed.

"You got that right. Now I tune my Junk Synchron with my Speed Warrior, Quillbolt Hedgehog, and Sonic Chick to synchro summon Stardust Dragon!" the orange monster turned into three green ring and encircled the other three monsters, which had become five stars. There was another flash of light and when it dimmed away this time, the majestic bluish-white dragon floated above Yusei.

Stardust Dragon: Lv. 8. 2500 ATK/2000 DEF

"Now Stardust Dragon attack Black Rose Dragon with cosmic flare."

Stardust Dragon: 2500 ATK; Black Rose Dragon: 2400 ATK

Akiza's dragon was destroyed and she felt another increase in the sharp pain. "I place one card face down and end my turn."

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 3900

"I draw. And for my first move I play my trap Wicked Rebirth. So by sacrificing 800 life points I can bring back my dragon every round when it's destroyed." The red and black dragon reappeared on her field. "Now I activate her ability to destroy every card on the field." A strong wind began blowing. Only it felt different and then it hit them why it was different; it was a psychic wind. Akiza began trembling; she didn't mean to stir a psychic wind. It was what she was afraid of. The sharp pain increased again.

"Not so fast, I activate Stardust's ability and sacrifice it to stop your dragon's effect and destroy it." His dragon flew forward and both dragons were gone, but the wind remained. "Akiza, why are you still using your powers?"

"Yusei, I don't know. I really don't." she told him trembling and the sharp pain increased so much that she collapsed on the ground again.

"Akiza!" they exclaimed and began to rush over to her again.

"Stay back!" she ordered trying to get up.

"Akiza, we can't continue. You're not okay." Yusei said.

"We're finishing this duel whether I'm okay or not!" she yelled, standing up with difficulty.

"But Aki—"

"I said we're finishing this. Whether you like it or not, Yusei, we are going to finish this." Akiza insisted, "I summon Wall of Ivy in defense mode and end my turn. And both our dragons return because of my trap card and because of your dragon's effect." Both dragons returned to their owners' field. And the wall covered in ivy appeared on her field as well.

Wall of Ivy: Lv. 2. 1200 DEF/300 ATK

Yusei: 4000; Akiza: 3100

"Akiza, listen."

"Just make your move. Please. The sooner this is over, the sooner…" she let the sentence trail off.

Yusei sighed in frustration. _Akiza, why won't you let me help you? _He wondered. _I need to help you._ The top card began to glow a very familiar glow.

"My draw," he announced as he pulled the glowing card: Majestic Dragon. "Just what I needed. Akiza, if you won't listen, then I'll do as you say and I'll finish this duel. I play the Card Rotator spell card and I think you remember its effect when I send a card to the graveyard. And I change the battle mode of your Wall of Ivy. I activate the effect of my Stardust Xiaolong and since Stardust Dragon is on my field, I can summon Xiaolong to my field." Another dragon, this time mostly green, materialized next to his other dragon.

Stardust Xiaolong: Lv. 1. 100 ATK/100 DEF

"And now I summon Majestic Dragon!" another dragon, this time a pink color, appeared.

Majestic Dragon: Lv. 1. 0 ATK/0 DEF

"Now I tune Stardust Dragon and Stardust Xiaolong with Majestic Dragon to synchro summon Majestic Star Dragon!" Stardust and Stardust Xiaolong turned into nine stars and were encircled by Majestic Dragon, which had become a single green ring. A final flash of light and a final dragon, much like Stardust's color appeared.

Majestic Star Dragon: Lv. 10. 3800 ATK/3000 DEF

"I'm ending this duel now, Akiza. I'm doing this only 'cause you asked me. Majestic Star Dragon, attack her Wall of Ivy and end this!"

Majestic Star Dragon: 3800 ATK; Wall of Ivy: 300 ATK

His dragon flew across to her field and destroyed the wall covered in ivy.

Yusei: 4000; Akiza 0

As her life points dropped, Akiza felt the sharp pain in her skull and chest increase again. Her vision began to fade. She vaguely remembered feeling the concrete hit head. She heard Yusei and Luna call out to her before she fell unconscious.

* * *

Akiza: Why am I so out of character? And why do I keep passing out?

AnimeKiwi369: It's my story.

Akiza: Should've seen that coming.

AnimeKiwi369: Yes. You should have. Please review and please be kind when you review. And thanks to everyone who had been reviewing so far.


	5. Chapter 5: Can't

AnimeKiwi369: I had trouble coming up with a title for this chapter.

Akiza: You don't have to title chapters.

AnimeKiwi369: I know. I actually went back and forth on that. This chapter explains some things and there's more of Yusei in it. But focuses on Akiza.

Akiza: Like the other chapters. By the way, why are you double updating?

AnimeKiwi369: I don't feel like torturing my readers with a cliffhanger today.

Akiza: Ah. How sweet.

AnimeKiwi369: Are you using sarcasm again?

Akiza: Possibly.

AnimeKiw369: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters, but I do own the story.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 5: Can't

Yusei and Luna rushed over to Akiza like they did just yesterday. She was lying on the ground, instead of crouched on it, but her body still trembled. Yusei crouched to the ground and gently turned Akiza over; she was unconscious.

"Akiza…" he whispered and gently picked her up. "Luna, I need to open the door." The small girl obeyed and opened the door. Yusei swiftly and gently went up to her room with Luna in tow. He tenderly laid her down on her bed and took off his gloves; he stroked her cheek to try to get her to stop trembling. Her soft skin was warm—too warm.

"Luna, I need you to go get a bowl of water and washcloth. Akiza's running a fever."

"All right Yusei." She responded, "You are going to stay with her?"

"I am."

"That's sweet." Luna commented as she left to get what he had asked for.

Yusei pulled a chair in her room by her bed and sat down, resuming stroking her cheek. "Akiza, I wish you'd tell me what's wrong. Please be okay." He whispered.

Akiza found herself in a strange place. It was nothing but white. The sharpness of the pain in her heart and head were gone, but her head did hurt a little and she felt drained of energy.

"Hello?" she called out. At first there was silence, but then there was a murmur of whispers; her question wasn't answered. "Where am I? What happened to Yusei?" still no answer, but the murmurs continued, "Am I…..…_dead?" _She trembled at the thought of being dead. "Is this life after…after death?" the murmurs got louder, but there was still no answer. Akiza was beginning to get frustrated, "Answer me!" she shouted and a psychic wind started. She gasped, "Stop!" she yelled again for the second day. The wind didn't stop though. "Why—why can't I control my powers?"

"Because you aren't strong." An eerily familiar voice said. A figure emerged and she stumbled back, not believing her eyes.

"S-Sayer?"

"Yes. And, no, you aren't dead." He told her, "Right now, you're just in a realm of unconsciousness."

"Then I'm just dreaming."

"No, not exactly. I said you were unconscious, not asleep."

"What's the difference?"

"That isn't important."

"Then why am I here?" Akiza yelled, causing the wind to increase. Sayer flicked his hand and the wind stopped. "How did you?"

"Simply because I am stronger than you will ever be." He responded, descending on her.

"Is that the only reason you're here?"

"No. I'm here to tell that you can't run from your powers. No matter what you do, you _will_ end hurting Yusei. And it's probably for the better that you do. You see, dear Akiza, if he's not around because of you, you'll be alone again and then you'll come back to me and Arcadia. But your friends would turn on you, eventually." Sayer told her, laughing evilly.

"I'll never go back to you Sayer!" she shouted, the wind stirring back up.

"If you don't want to hurt Yusei or any of your other so-called friends, there's only one way to stop your powers. Permanently." He laughed evilly again.

Akiza backed away in shock; she knew what he was talking about.

"Even if you don't come back to Arcadia, your nightmares won't stop. As long as I'm back, they will never stop!"

"How did you know about them?"

Sayer didn't answer, but laughed evilly again. The wind kept stirring.

"Stop!" she yelled again at the wind.

"As long as you have these powers, Yusei and everyone else around you will never be safe. And if you tell anyone what happens in those dreams, you will pay dearly."

Akiza began trembling again. She reached out a hand to stop her powers, but before she could stop them, her world began to fade around her again.

Akiza hand was reached out above her as she opened her eyes towards the ceiling; she was still trembling a little bit. She felt a hand cover hers and bring it back down to her side. She turned her head to see Yusei sitting by her bed.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. The sharp pain didn't come back, but her head did start to hurt and felt something on her forehead.

Yusei didn't answer her at first, but instead removed what was on her forehead and put it in a bowl of water.

"I'm here because I want to make sure you're all right Akiza." He said quietly, wringing out a washcloth over the bowl. He dabbed her face before placing the cold washcloth back forehead. "I told you, I care about you. You really scared me and Luna."

"I'm sorry." she responded as best she could.

"I wish you would just tell me what's wrong." Yusei sounded worried, "I just want to help."

Akiza looked away from him, thinking _You can't help me this time, Yusei. You just can't. You wouldn't understand._

"It has to do with that nightmare, doesn't it?" she stayed silent. Yusei tenderly touched her cheek, "Please, tell me."

"I can't." she whispered.

"Can't or won't?" he began to sound a little irritated.

"I can't." she whispered again.

Yusei gave a frustrated sigh. "I hope you change your mind about that." he changed his tone and touched her forehead. "Your fever has gone down, but you're still too warm for my taste."

"Have I been out long?"

"All day."

"Have you stayed here with me the entire time?" Akiza asked, feeling a blush unconsciously forming on her face.

"Mostly."

"Oh." She said quietly, "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me Akiza."

She tried to sit up, but got dizzy as she did and fell back on her bed. Her head was pounding; she grabbed her head.

"You hit your head pretty hard when you collapsed." Yusei commented, stroking her cheek.

"Now you tell me." Akiza muttered, growing tired.

"Just rest now, Akiza." He told her softly, beginning to pull a blanket around her, "Just rest."

"Yusei?"

"Yes, Akiza?"

"I'm afraid to sleep."

"It's all right," he told her in a sweet tone, "just try and sleep."

She nodded, slowly, and closed her eyes. The last thing she remembered before she fell back asleep was feeling Yusei's hand stroking her cheek.

* * *

Akiza: Did I read that correctly? Sayer's back?

AnimeKiwi369: Umm...Yes.

Akiza: Then hurry up and finish this story then. I need to see how this ends.

AnimeKiwi369: Umm...Okay.(?) Please review and please submit kind reviews.


	6. Chapter 6: Evasion

AnimeKiwi369: Finally!

Akiza: What?

AnimeKiwi369: We get to see what goes on in your nightmare, so that's why the first part is italicized. And again, I had trouble coming up with a chapter title.

Akiza: That's important because...?

AnimeKiwi369: I'm just saying. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters in any way. The only thing I own is the storyline.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 6: Evasion

"_The entrance to the Netherworld lay on the witch's island." Sayer whispered in her ear. She felt something powerful stir inside her. A strong psychic gale began blowing. Her world began to seem like a dream. She got back to her feet, the energy stabilizer gone from her hair, her long burgundy red bangs falling in front of her face. _

"_I see you've decided to show you true colors Black Rose." Misty snarled with malice._

_The duel raged on. Akiza had brought out Black Rose Dragon and Misty had her Sad Story spell combo and Dragon Queen of Tragic Endings in play. Misty raised her right arm and her lizard Mark began to glow purple and the geoglyph of purple flames began to surround them. Akiza felt her claw Mark began glowing crimson. She felt her powers growing stronger. _

"_I won't let you do this Sayer!" she heard a familiar voice yell. Akiza turned towards the voice; Yusei, "Controlling people is wrong!"_

What does he mean 'Controlling'?_ She wondered. _

"_I will never let Akiza go!" she heard Sayer shout at Yusei, "She's mine! You and your friends can't have her! And you definitely cannot save her, Fudo!" _

_She saw Sayer use his psychic powers to knock Yusei out of the rundown building, leaving him hanging off of it. Yusei let go the building, landing on his feet gracefully. _

"_Akiza!" he yelled, "Don't you see Sayer's controlling you? You have to break free."_

_Akiza didn't know how, but when she looked at Yusei, her powers were aimed straight for him. Yusei was thrown back against the side of the building with a painful sound. Her eyes widened in horror and her trance was broken. She ran over to him, forgetting about Misty and Sayer and everything else._

"_Yusei!" she called out to him. He lay unconscious on the ground. Akiza knelt on the ground beside him and turned him over in her arms. She put her hand on the back of his head, lifting it slightly; she felt blood on her hand coming from the back of his head. "Yusei, please look at me!" Tears streamed down her face, shaking uncontrollably. _

_Blood trickled from his temple and began to seep through his chest. He struggled and opened his eyes; those gorgeous eyes of his were dull and glazed over._

"_Akiza…" he trailed off taking a ragged breath, blood seeping through his chest faster. _

"_I'm sorry," she said through tears. _

_Yusei trembled as he took off a glove and tried to wipe her tears away, but more kept coming. "I know you are, and it's all right."_

"_No it isn't. I hurt you. Yusei, I'm a monster. And I always will be. I'm sorry."_

"_Akiza, it'll be okay."_

"_You're too good for me. I don't deserve you. I should be in your situation." She cried, "Yusei, please don't leave me. Yusei, I love you."_

_He took another ragged breath, blood beginning to seep through his stomach too. "I know you do. Akiza, I love you too." He lifted his trembling hands to her face and brought it to his. Yusei pressed his lips to hers softly and she tasted the coppery flavor of his blood. When he took his lips away he whispered in an uneven breath, "I've wanted to do that for a long time. I'm glad I got to that before I went. Akiza, promise me something."_

"_Anything." She whispered back, trembling violently._

"_I want you to remember me."_

"_I could never forget you." Akiza whispered, tears streaming down her fast faster. He gave her a weak smile and closed his eye. She couldn't feel him breathing._

"_Yusei!" she cried. Yusei wouldn't look at her; he wouldn't open his eyes. He couldn't. She tried to listen to his heartbeat getting his blood on the side of her head and in her hair. She couldn't hear anything, "No! Yusei!" _

_She lifted his lifeless body and pressed him to her, getting soaked in his blood._

_Akiza had lost him; he was dead. She had killed him. She really _was_ a monster. Her powers continued to whip around her. It was all because of her powers that she killed him. That she had killed the person she loved._

"_Stop!"_

Akiza woke up with start and sat up on her bed, shaking, suppressing a scream. Tears and sweat were pouring down her face again. She put a trembling hand over her chest to calm her pounding heart. She looked around her room; no one was there. She hadn't woken anyone this time.

"What does that make now?" Akiza asked herself, wiping sweat off her forehead, and drying her eyes, "Five weeks?"

Every day since the first time the nightmare had showed up, it had shown up every night since then. For the first several days, she had woken up screaming, but by the end of the first week, she had managed to stop screaming. Though everything else had continued.

The sharp pain that Akiza felt in her head and heart continued as well. And it had intensified every time she touched her deck or looked at Yusei. She hadn't dueled since she collapsed in her duel against Yusei. Akiza was afraid to. And afraid to sleep.

She looked at the clock; 4:59.

_That nightmare didn't come as quick as it normally does. I usually end up awake at midnight. _She thought. For over a month she'd wake up from the nightmare a little after midnight and then couldn't fall back asleep; too frightened to. Dark circles had begun to form under her eyes. That had been the most sleep she'd had in months.

Akiza got up and took a shower, not caring if she disturbed anyone. When she was finished dressing, she walked outside to see the sun rising. She saw she wasn't the only one out there. Yusei stood with his back to her, watching the rising sun and she felt another sharp pain begin to form, but she walked next to him anyway.

They watched in silence as the sun rose in the sky. After a while, Yusei broke the silence.

"A sunrise is as beautiful as a sunset. Don't you agree?" he asked, not looking at her.

"I guess so." She responded quietly, "Why are you up so early?"

"I wanted to see a sunrise. Is that a crime or something?" he asked in a joking manor. She couldn't see it, but she knew he was smiling.

"No, I don't think so." She told him, trying to say it in a joking manor as well, but she couldn't do it.

"Is something wrong?" he asked for the about thousandth time in the past few weeks.

"No," she lied again to him, the sharp pain increasing slightly. "I just couldn't sleep."

"Are you still having nightmares?"

"No." she lied.

Yusei knew she was lying, but didn't say anything. Akiza had been very evasive since she had collapsed over a month ago. And he was worried about her; and not just because she was his friend. Over the last several months, Yusei had begun to feel more than just friendship for Akiza. But he wasn't sure if she felt the same way.

"If you say so, Akiza." He whispered.

"Don't you have a duel today?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Yeah," he responded, "Are you coming?"

"Everyone else is," she said, "so I might as well. Besides, I wouldn't want to miss it for the world." She told him honestly.

"Really?"

She nodded, "You were there for me, and I want to be there for you."

"Thanks, Akiza." He said to her giving her a breathtaking smile. The pain increased again, as she looked at him; she almost felt dizzy. "With friends like you and the others, I know I can win."

She tried to return the smile, but couldn't, so she looked away. "I know you can win, too."

_**Later That Day**_

"I know you're going to win Yusei!" Leo exclaimed hyperly, "I just know it!"

"Yeah, good luck." Luna said.

"Thanks, you guys." He told the young twins. Yusei was sitting on his runner in the storage garage of the Kaiba Dome; it was only a few minutes until the duel. "You two should go join the others."

"Okay!" Leo responded and dashed out, excited to see his idle duel again. His twin, however, didn't make a move.

"Is something wrong, Luna?" Yusei asked. She hadn't told him what Black Rose Dragon had told her a few weeks ago.

"There's something I need to tell you, Yusei."

"What is it?"

"It's actually not about me, but about—" she was cut off by the speaker saying it was only a few seconds until the duel. "I'll tell you later."

Yusei nodded and Luna went to join her brother and other Signers.

_**After the Duel**_

"Yusei you were AWESOME!" Leo exclaimed as they walked back into the twins' apartment.

"Thanks, Leo." Yusei responded for the third time that day, pushing his runner by the door.

"I've done better." Jack scoffed and Leo glared at him again.

"I think I'm going to take Leo's side on this." Crow commented, "That was a pretty good duel."

"And I always take Leo's side." Luna said.

"And that makes three to one. In favor of Yusei." Crow announced.

"Four to one." Akiza told them quietly, but no one except Yusei noticed. She'd been awfully quiet today. He leaned in and whispered, "Thanks." in her ear. She looked down and left the others as she went outside, trying to evade them for the fifth week.

Akiza stared at her reflection in the twins' pool and saw nothing but The Black Rose. She splashed the image and stalked over to the edge of the building; she glared down at the city. She caught a familiar glint of someone's eyes and stumbled back.

_It can't be! _She thought fiercely, _Sayer can't be back! _

Akiza remembered the dream she had, had back when the nightmares had just started. Sayer had said he was back and as long as he was, the nightmares would continue. For the rest of her life.

_Maybe if I can confront him, _she thought again, _the nightmares will stop. _Akiza ran back inside and grabbed her deck and duel disk, ignoring the sharp pain again, and ran downstairs. As she left the apartment, she ran past Luna, almost knocking her down.

"Akiza, where are you going?"

"Nowhere." She evaded hastily going into the elevator. Akiza left the apartment and ran outside. She spotted a glimpse of Sayer, walking out of sight around a corner.

"Hey! Wait!" she called, but he didn't pay attention and she ran after him.

Akiza rounded the corner where Sayer had gone. She saw him go around another corner and continued to follow. After she rounded that corner she came to a dead end. Sayer wasn't there.

"Sayer?" she called out. "Where are—" Akiza started but was cut off by her mouth being covered with a cloth. Her vision began to fade. She felt her knees and head hit the concrete for the second time in five weeks.

"Yusei," Akiza whispered before her vision went black, "help me."

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: I like this chapter because we see the actual nightmare.

Akiza: Do you have a deathwish?

AnimeKiwi369: You're not the first to ask.

Akiza: Who else has asked that?

AnimeKiwi369: Me.

Akiza: You're strange.

AnimeKiwi369: Tell me something I don't already know. Please be kind and leave a kind review for this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7: Trapped

AnimeKiwi369: Now we find out where Akiza has been taken.

Akiza: I have a bad feeling.

AnimeKiwi369: Why do you have to be like that?

Akiza: Because of how this story's been so far.

AnimeKiwi369: Okay.(?) This chapter actually focuses more on Luna, but the beginning and the end focuses on Akiza. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its character, but I do own the storyline.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 7: Trapped

Akiza woke with another start, but not from the nightmare; from how she passed out replaying in her head. Her head was pounding again from when her head had contacted the ground…again. She stood up and looked around. Nothing was familiar. It wasn't Satellite or New Domino or Arcadia. She heard the sound of waves crashing on rocks. She turned around and saw a cliff. Everything else was just…green. A forest was to the opposite side of the ocean. The sky was covered in gray clouds. Akiza heard an evil laugh and turned toward it. Nothing. No one. Well…not exactly nothing. She saw an old, worn out lighthouse with a house extension on it.

"Where am I?"

_**Back at the Tops**_

"Yusei!" Luna yelled as she ran back into the apartment.

"Luna?" he asked as she stopped in front of him. He crouched down in front of her, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's…Akiza." She panted, trying to catch her breath. When Akiza had left the apartment, Luna had followed as soon as she could and saw the older girl follow someone around a corner. And Luna had followed her around the corner. The younger female Signer caught a glimpse of the older one going around another corner. As she made it to where Akiza had gone, Luna saw a glimpse of movement. But it was just that…a glimpse. The young girl made it to the last corner she saw Akiza go around. No one was there.

"Akiza?" she had called out, but no answer came. It was a dead end. There was a small card at the end with a small bit of blood by it. Luna picked up the card and read it; her eyes widened as she had read the card and she ran back to hers and Leo's apartment as fast as she could.

"What about Akiza?" Yusei asked, a worried expression crossing his face and seeping into his voice.

"She's been taken." Luna said in a shaking voice.

"What do you mean 'taken'?" he asked, his eyes widening. She held out the card and he read it over. His eyes widened more and he stood up. As calmly as he could he walked over to his runner getting it ready.

"Luna, get your duel disk." He told her and she obeyed without question. When she came back down, Yusei had just put down the phone.

"Who was that, Yusei?" she asked.

"I just called Trudge, Mina, and Akiza's parents." He told her, "We're going after her. I need you to tell me, Luna, what were you going to tell me earlier."

"What does she need to tell you?" Crow asked coming into the room with Leo and Jack.

"Yusei, do you remember when Akiza asked me to go get her deck a few weeks ago?" he nodded and Leo and Crow had a confused expression. "Well, what took me so long was Black Rose Dragon gave me a warning about Akiza."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jack asked

"I wasn't sure how to tell you." She admitted. "I'm sorry."

"You should've told us if it was important!" he almost yelled, causing her to cringe away. Leo stepped in front of his sister.

"Leave her alone, Jack." He said. "She said she was sorry."

"Luna," Yusei commanded, "what did Black Rose Dragon say to you?"

"She said that the nightmare she had was ruling her life; it keeps returning," she explained, "and she keeps getting a sharp pain in her head and heart. And Black Rose Dragon told me that the spirits in her deck are worried about her health and sanity. And she's worried about hurting us—her friends—with her powers."

"Is that all, Luna?" Yusei asked, worriedly.

"No," Luna shook her head, "Black Rose Dragon said that the spirits in her deck were beginning to think it wasn't a coincidence when I spoke to her. And that we have to help Akiza at all costs." She concluded.

"Did Black Rose Dragon explain or ask anything else?" Crow inquired.

"Like what goes on in Akiza's nightmare?" Yusei asked.

"All she told me about the nightmare was that Akiza becomes under control of Sayer, dueling Misty, and her powers run wild." Luna paused before she continued, "And that she ends up killing her savior. Who is also her only love. But she didn't say anything else about the nightmare. Or who she accidentally kills."

"No wonder she's been reluctant to duel." Jack commented.

"We have to save her." Yusei announced with more than just determination.

"Isn't she outside?" Leo asked.

"No," Yusei told the young boy, "Sayer has her."

"WHAT?" the others exclaimed and Leo went and grabbed his duel disk and the other male Signers got their duel runners ready. They went outside as Trudge and Mina pulled up in a Security patrol car.

"What's going on?" Mina asked in a concerned tone. Yusei handed the little card to her and she read it, then handed it to Officer Trudge. "Leo, Luna, get in the car." The twins got into the car.

"Everyone ready?" Yusei asked after he, Jack, and Crow had mounted their runners. Everyone nodded, "All right then. Let's go save Akiza."And they rode off towards where Sayer had taken the older female Signer.

_**Back With Akiza**_

Akiza walked towards the extension of the lighthouse. It was long and the end was tall. Very tall. And it looked almost like a clock tower. A door was opened to the lighthouse. She looked in the door way and saw movement.

"Hello?" she called as she entered, "Sayer?" The door closed behind her, like they had in the hall of mirrors when she faced Misty, startling her. She tried to open it; locked. There was a sickly orange-yellow glow illuminating the extension. The inside was a wreck; glass and debris was everywhere.

"Are you scared Akiza?" Sayer's voice taunted. _I know this is going to end badly, but if it means these nightmares might stop, I need to follow. _She told herself and began walking towards the voice, avoiding the wreckage as best she could, but got many cuts from the sharp edges of debris.

She made her way towards Sayer's menacing voice. There were broken pipes and more wreckage as she made her way. Akiza found herself in a room that didn't have any door or broken windows, just walls. Sayer's evil laugh came, but she couldn't tell from where, and she heard a sound like something being lit; like a match. Several seconds later Akiza could hear a crackling sound of something, and it took several more seconds before she smelled smoke and felt heat beginning to rise. Sayer had set a fire to the building! She tried to run, but stopped short as flames leapt in front of her. She turned to run the other way, but flames were all around her.

Akiza was trapped.

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: Another cliffhanger! Love 'em. Hate 'em. What are ya gonna do about them?

Akiza: That's it. I think I'm going to hurt you.

AnimeKiwi369: You wouldn't do that.

Akiza: Why wouldn't I?

AnimeKiwi369: Then you wouldn't see how the story ends.

Akiza: I hate when you point out the obvious.

AnimeKiwi369: Join the club. Please review. And please be kind in your reviews.


	8. Chapter 8: Confrontation

AnimeKiwi369: I feel like being nice and doing another update.

Akiza: You're not being nice to me.

AnimeKiwi369: At the moment.

Akiza: And what exactly does that mean?

AnimeKiwi369: Let's just say, you'll like how this ends. I don't own anything about Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or is characters, I only own the storyline.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 8: Confrontation

The heat was rising rapidly, as were the flames and the smoke was beginning to choke Akiza. The fire was so bright that she couldn't see; the smoked was rising too, stinging her eyes. She backed away a little and immediately regretted it. Flames licked at her clothes and skin, causing more pain when the flames touched the cuts she had sustained following Sayer into her trap. Akiza began coughing violently; the smoke and heat were too much.

_This is the end._ She thought, crouching on the ground and she felt flames touch her face and neck. _At least now I can't hurt anyone. _She heard Sayer's evil laugh again.

"Giving up so easily Akiza?" he mocked, "I guess you're just a weakling after all."

_I'm not a weakling Sayer._ She thought, standing up, getting angry, _I'm not going to let it end like this. I'm going to make him pay for what he's done. For me and for everyone else he's hurt! _

"But how do I get out of this?" she wondered aloud, coughing again. She felt flames at her left arm and pulled it away, hastily dousing the flames with her hand. She looked down; her duel disk.

_I'm a psychic, right? _Akiza asked herself, _Then I should use my powers to get myself outta here. _

"Here goes everything!" she said determinedly, summoning and realizing Black Rose Dragon. "Black Rose Dragon, get us out of here." She ordered, before the smoke made her cough again. Her dragon obeyed and aimed at the wall. Black Rose's attack made a hole in the wall.

"Thank you." She said to her dragon as she put it away, and ran through the hole her beast had just made. The cool air was surprising after being in that fire for several minutes. Akiza let herself collapse on the ground, trying to catch her breath. She looked at her arms; they were covered in cut and burns. She was shaking again. She heard Sayer's evil laugh again and she looked up; he was right in front of her.

"Very good, Akiza." He praised in a mocking tone, "I thought you had forgotten all about how dangerous you are."

"Why did you bring me here?" she demanded, getting off the ground.

"Oh, don't be like that. Don't you want to catch up for old times' sake?" he asked in an innocent tone she would've fallen for when she was in Arcadia.

"Tell me why you brought me here?" she demanded again.

"My, my, my, you are impatient, aren't you." He stated, "If you must know, I'm here to take you back."

"I'll never go back!" Akiza shouted. "I'll never leave the Signers and Leo!"

"That's too bad, then." Sayer didn't sound disappointed, and he looked her straight in the eyes; they were full of hatred, "If I can't have you, then neither can they!" He shouted, lifting his duel disk and played a card and aimed his realized card's power straight at her.

Akiza didn't have time to react and was thrown back through the hole her dragon had made. She hit the wall of the fiery room with painful force. She heard a painful sounding crack as she hit the wall. When the back of her head hit the wall, the energy stabilizer in her hair fell out and her long burgundy red bangs fell in front of eyes. The flames began to lick at her again. As her feet hit the ground, her ankle twisted under her painfully. She cried in pain as she tried to move; her head was pounding and she felt dizzy. She barely felt the flames burning her as she struggled to get up and made her way back outside. Her body ached and trembled as she moved. She could feel bruises begin to form on her, joining the cuts—some had become large gashes—and burns she already sustained on her body. She felt extremely weak, but she wasn't going to let it show.

"You're still fighting?" Sayer asked mockingly. "I thought you didn't want to hurt your friends."

"I don't, but I won't leave without making sure you won't hurt them." She responded in a shaking voice, and another cough escaped her throat.

"Well, then. There's only one way for you to be stop me. A duel." He told her and readied his duel disk. "But I warn you, Akiza, this will not be pleasant."

"If I have to die to protect my friends, then so be it!" she shouted, feeling sharp pain everywhere; this time it was especially painful in her heart. She saw each of her friends' faces clearly in her mind, but her breath caught in her throat when Yusei came to her thoughts. "I _will_ protect them!"

"That's your choice then." Sayer mocked, "It's your funeral."

"Let's DUEL!" they both shouted.

_**With the Others**_

"How much farther is it?" Yusei asked.

"It shouldn't be very long now, Yusei." Mina responded.

"Just be patient." Trudge ordered.

"I'm not sure that's possible." Yusei muttered. _Akiza, please be okay. _He thought. _Just hold on until I get there._

After several more painfully slow minutes of riding, they finally came close to where the note said Akiza would be.

"Let's split up," Crow suggested, "we can cover more ground that way and we'll have a better chance of finding Akiza."

They nodded in agreement and went separate directions. Yusei went straight. The sky overhead was gray, like it was reflecting his mood.

"Akiza! Where are you?" Yusei called. Everything around him was green. There was a forest to his right; a very thick and dark forest in this lighting. Yusei heard the ocean to his left and saw a cliff. In front of him was a rising hill and over it he saw…_smoke_?

"What is that?" he asked aloud and ran towards it. He made to the top of the hill and looked down. There was an old building that looked like a lighthouse with an extension on it. The end of the extended building rose up to the same height of the lighthouse, but looked more like a clock tower with red bricks covering it. The building was set on fire and there was a gaping hole in the side of the end of the clock tower-like building that faced the forest.

Yusei heard a sharp cry come from the building and saw Akiza stumble out. He could see the she had rips in her clothes and her clothes also were burnt and blackened in a lot of places. Her gloves were virtually shredded. He could also see she had cuts and burns along her body. And he could see some of the cuts were very visible, very deep and long gashes. And her energy stabilizer was out of her hair, so her long bangs were in her eyes. Her hair was burnt in a couple places as well. She looked very weak, but determined.

"You're still fighting?" came a chillingly familiar voice and Yusei turned towards it: Sayer. "I thought you didn't want to hurt your friends." He taunted.

"I don't, but I won't leave without making sure you won't hurt them." Akiza responded in a trembling voice and then ended up coughing.

"Akiza." Yusei whispered, "What happened?"

"Well, then. There's only one way for you to be stop me. A duel." He heard Sayer tell Akiza, "But I warn you, Akiza, this will not be pleasant."

"If I have to die to protect my friends, then so be it!" she shouted back at Sayer. "I _will_ protect them!"

_Die?_ Yusei thought, _Akiza what's going on?_

"That's your choice then." Sayer mocked at her, making Yusei's blood boil, "It's your funeral."

"Let's DUEL!" both shouted.

"Yusei did you find her?" Luna asked as she and Leo ran up beside him.

"I did."

"Is that who I think that is? Is that Sayer?" Leo asked, and Yusei nodded. "But we all saw Misty's Earthbound Immortal swallow him."

"I know, but he's back somehow."

"Yusei, what happened to Akiza?" Luna asked full of concern.

"I don't know, but you guys go get the others." He told them, "And tell Mina to call an ambulance. I'm going to keep an eye on the duel. I have a bad feeling Sayer has some tricks up his sleeve."

"All right, Yusei." They both nodded and ran off in the other direction.

_Come on, Akiza._ He thought, _I know you can beat him. _

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: I like this chapter, but I _must_ have a deathwish.

Akiza: I established that six chapters ago.

AnimeKiwi369: Gee, you're real supportive.

Akiza: When you give me something nice, I will be.

AnimeKiwi369: Please reveiw and please be kind in reviewing.


	9. Chapter 9: Student vs Teacher

AnimeKiwi369: Yay! Another duel!

Akiza: Should I be concerned with this one?

AnimeKiwi369: Read and find out.

Akiza: Why do you keep saying that?

AnimeKiwi369: Because I don't want to give anything away, that's why. Onto the chapter. Like basically all other chapters, it focuses on Akiza more than any one else. I **_don't _**own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or the characters belonging to it, however, I **_do _**own the story.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 9: Student vs. Teacher

Akiza and Sayer glared at each other for a few seconds, before they drew their hand. The sharp pain in her chest and skull increased as she glared at him.

Akiza: 4000; Sayer: 4000

"I go first, _Izinski_." Sayer snarled, drawing a card; using her last name instead of her first to show how much he distasted her now. "I summon Krebons in attack mode." The clown-like monster appeared on his field, "I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Krebons: Lv. 2. 1200 ATK/800 DEF

Akiza: 4000; Sayer: 4000

"It's my move then, Sayer." She said drawing a card, "I summon Lord Poison in attack mode." The plant creature materialized on her field.

Lord Poison: Lv. 4. 1500 ATK/1000 DEF

"Now Lord Poison, attack Krebons."

Lord Poison: 1500 ATK; Krebons: 1200 ATK

"I don't think so," Sayer announced, "I activate Krebons ability and sacrifice 800 life points to block your attack and save my monster." Akiza's monster attack was forcefully stopped.

"I set two cards facedown and end my turn." Akiza told him bitterly.

Akiza: 4000; Sayer: 3200

"My draw and I summon Mind Protector in defense mode." The psychic monster appeared next to his other one.

Mind Protector: Lv. 3. 2200 DEF/0 ATK

"Now I tune Krebons with Mind Protector to summon Magical Android." Krebons turned into two green rings and the other turned into three stars. There was a flash of light and a futuristic woman appeared in the other two monsters place. As it materialized on Sayer's field, a streak of lightning flashed in the sky followed by a menacing rumble of thunder.

Magical Android: Lv. 5. 2400 ATK/1700 DEF

"Now I play Emergency Teleport which allows me—" he started

"I know what it does," Akiza interrupted. "It allows you to summon another psychic-type from your hand or deck."

"You'll pay for interrupting me like that." Sayer warned her, "No that you've explained what my card does, I think I'll summon Psychic Snail in attack mode."

Psychic Snail: Lv. 4. 1900 ATK/1200 DEF

"Now Psychic Snail attack her Lord Poison." Sayer commanded.

Psychic Snail: 1900 ATK; Lord Poison: 1500 ATK

Akiza's monster was destroyed and the force of Sayer's attack knocked her on the ground. Akiza got back up, even though she knew what was coming.

Akiza: 3600; Sayer: 3200

"Now, Magical Android, attack Akiza directly." Sayer ordered and his monster obeyed. The monster aimed the attack straight at Akiza's heart. The attack sent her back into the flames and back against the wall. A few pieces of debris fell from the ceiling and hit her. She resisted the cry coming from her throat and got back on her feet. Akiza made her way back to the field.

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 3200

"And now during the end phase, I gain 600 life points for every psychic-type monster on my field, thanks to my Android's special ability." Sayer said. "Make you're move. And make it count, because it'll be the last move you'll ever make. But if I were you, I'd give up now. You have no chance of winning. You're down to your last measly life points and you can't protect your friends."

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 4400

Akiza stayed silent and looked down. She wanted to feel strong, but she felt weak. _Maybe Sayer's right. I don't have a chance to win. I can't stop him. _She thought, taking a ragged breath. Her world was going in and out of her vision and she began to shake again. She felt tears sting her eyes.

"Just give up, Akiza." Sayer told her, "There's no one here to save you. Not one of your so-called friends. And especially not your savior, Yusei." Akiza's head shot up, her vision shaking as she did so, making her dizzy. She felt herself sink to the ground. How did he know? "I know everything about you. And I know about your feelings for him. And he's going to be the first person I'm going to go after once I'm through with you."

"I won't let you hurt Yusei!" She shouted, trying to sound strong, but it came out how she felt. Weak. "I will protect him. Even if means giving my life for him."

"You've grown weak. You're pathetic." Sayer taunted. "You can't win."

"Akiza!" she heard a familiar voice called and she turned he head to see Yusei on a hill. How long had he been there? "Don't listen to him! You're not weak. And I know can win this." He told her in a gentle voice.

Akiza felt her confidence grow rapidly. _Yusei's right. I can win this. I can and will protect my friends._

_**With Yusei**_

Yusei watched as Akiza got back on her feet.

"Yusei!" Crow's voice came and he turned around. The others were running towards him

"Is it true that Akiza's dueling Sayer?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." He responded, "Where are Mina and Trudge?"

"They went to direct the ambulance out here." Crow responded, "What happened to Akiza?" he asked seeing what the psychic looked like.

"I don't know, but it's Sayer's doing."

"I won't give up!" they heard Akiza's voice say and they turned towards the duel as they felt their Marks begin to glow.

_**Back at the Duel**_

"I won't give up!" Akiza shouted with confidence, "And it's my turn."

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 4400

Akiza felt her Mark begin to glow. "I draw. I summon Twilight Rose Knight!" the knight appeared on her field like it had when she last duel Yusei. She felt she Mark glowing brighter.

Twilight Rose Knight: Lv. 3. 1000 ATK/1000 DEF

"I activate my knight's ability to summon another monster from my hand I summon Rose Fairy." The fairy monster appeared on her field next to her other monster.

Rose Fairy: Lv. 3. 600 ATK/1200 DEF

"And now I activate the spell card Seed of Deception to special summon Evil Thorn."

Evil Thorn: Lv. 1. 100 ATK/300 DEF

"And now I activate my thorn's ability to hit for 300 points of direct damage by sacrificing it." Her monster self destructed and hit Sayer.

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 4100

"And now I can summon two more Evil Thorns from my deck, but they lose their special ability."

Evil Thorn: Lv. 1. 100 ATK/300 DEF

Evil Thorn: Lv. 1. 100 ATK/300 DEF

"Now I tune my knight with my Rose Fairy and one of my Evil Thorns to synchro summon Black Rose Dragon!" her knight became three green rings as encircled her other monsters as her fairy became three stars and one of her thorns became one star. There was another flash of light and her dragon appeared for the first time in weeks.

Black Rose Dragon: Lv. 7. 2400 ATK/1800 DEF

The sharp pain surprisingly didn't increase this time.

"Now I activate her special ability and remove my Evil Thorn from play and reduce your monster's attack points to zero." Long black vines shot from her dragon and grabbed Sayer's monster. "Now attack Black Rose Dragon!"

Black Rose Dragon: 2400 ATK; Magical Android: 0 ATK

Sayer's monster was destroyed and his life points took a hit, but he wasn't thrown back like she had been from his attacks.

"You're weak." He said again.

"Shut up!" she shouted, "Now I play another Seed of Deception to summon Dark Verger." The plant appeared on her field.

Dark Verger: Lv. 2. 0 ATK/1000 DEF

"Finally, I play the spell Close Plant Gate. So now you can't attack next round. I end my turn."

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 1700

"My draw then and I play Premature Burial and bring back Magical Android from my graveyard by sacrificing 800 life points." His monster reappeared.

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 900

"Now I play the spell card, Emergency Teleport to special summon Telekinetic Shocker." Another monster appeared on his field.

Telekinetic Shocker: Lv. 4. 1700 ATK/700 DEF

"Since your spell skipped over my battle phase. I'll summon Psychic Commander." The commander appeared on his field.

Psychic Commander: Lv. 3. 1400 ATK

"With that, I end my turn. And I get 600 life points for each psychic-type monster—" Sayer began.

"On your field." Akiza interrupted him, "I know that already."

"You'll pay for interrupting me."

Akiza: 1200; Sayer; 3300

_Sayer didn't synchro summon even though he has a tuner monster just to use that special ability, but I bet he's going to synchro summon next round. Then I'm finished. _She thought.

"Thinking of giving up?" he taunted, "You should and maybe I'll let your friends walk away with only minimal harm. You know you can't win against me. I taught you everything you know. Just give up on your friends."

"Akiza, don't listen to him!" Yusei shouted from atop the hill. "You can win. I know you can. I know you can protect us."

"Don't listen to Fudo, Akiza. You know that they'll give up on you eventually, so you should give up on them."

"Akiza, we're your friends," Yusei told her, "We'll never give up on you. I'll never give up on you."

Akiza stayed silent for a few moments, before she responded, "Yusei's right. If they won't give up on me, then I won't give up on them!" her Mark glowed even brighter before it disappeared from her arm. She felt something on her back and turned her head; the seal of The Crimson Dragon was there.

_**With the Others**_

The group watched as their Marks faded and join up on Akiza, like it had before on Yusei and Jack.

"What's happening?" Leo asked.

"I'm not sure," Yusei responded, "but I think it has to do with Akiza so determined to protect us."

They watched as two cards materialized in front of her. The cards landed lightly in her outstretched hands. She looked at them, in an almost disbelieved look.

"Sayer you're finished." She said.

_**Back at the Duel**_

"Sayer you're finished," Akiza told him, "I'm going to make you pay for all the lives you've hurt."

Akiza: 1200; Sayer; 2700

"It's my turn and I draw!" she announced, "I summon Majestic Dragon!" the pink dragon on her field.

Majestic Dragon: Lv. 1. 0 ATK/0 DEF

"Now I tune Majestic Dragon with Black Rose Dragon and Evil Thorn to synchro summon Majestic Rose Dragon!"

_**With the Others**_

"'Majestic Rose Dragon'?" Luna repeated.

"That must be one of the cards that appeared in front of her." Crow commented.

"No duh, genius." Jack told him, sarcastically.

Akiza's dragon and thorn turned into eight stars and were encircled by the single green ring that was Majestic Dragon. There was a flash of light as another flash of lightning and rumble of thunder came. When the flash of light was gone there was a new dragon on the field. It was red and black like Black Rose Dragon. It had wings shaped like Majestic Dragon's and was covered in red petals that were splashed with black vines spiraling around them. Its body looked slightly serpent-like, but was still made up of the same black, thorn covered vines.

"Wow!" Leo and Crow exclaimed, mesmerized, at the same time.

"Amazing." Jack commented.

"It's beautiful." Luna said.

"Yeah," Yusei agreed, "It's almost as beautiful as Akiza."

_**Back at the Duel**_

Akiza's new dragon was beautiful, and she was captivated by its beauty.

"Welcome to the game, Majestic Rose Dragon." She greeted in a soft voice, gaining confidence just by gazing at it.

**Majestic Rose Dragon: Lv. 9. 3700 ATK/2900 DEF**

"Impressive, Akiza." Sayer commented, "But it won't help you."

"Yes, it will," she shot back, "but it won't help you. I'm tired of listening to you put me down and saying I can't win. That I'm weak. You're the one who's weak. I may not be using my powers, but that proves that I don't need them to beat you. And I'll always be stronger because of that. I'm tired of you saying my friends will turn on me. I get strength from my friends and I know that they will never turn on me. We have a special bond that can't be broken. And no matter what you throw at me, I'll always have my friends to help me. Even if you continue to haunt me with those dreaded nightmares, I have my friends and I will protect them from you!" she yelled.

"You tell him, Akiza!" she heard Leo yell and she saw her friends all on that hill with Yusei.

"You can do it!" Luna encouraged.

"Beat him so we can go home." Jack told her.

"Yeah, show him what you got." Crow shouted in a positive tone.

"I know you can win." Yusei repeated.

"Thanks you guys," she said with the first real smile she had given in weeks. Akiza turned back to Sayer, "You see, Sayer, I will always have my friends," she repeated.

"Then if you won't let me hurt them, I'll make you feel what they would." He shot back.

"Not if I end this duel," she told him. "I use my dragon's ability and remove another plant monster from play and reduce one of your monster's attack points to zero. And I choose your android. Go majestic binding bloom!" Vines shot from her dragon and grabbed Sayer's monster again. "And now by sending monster card from my hand to the graveyard, my dragon can destroy one of your other monsters and absorb its attack points." She informed Sayer as she sent Violet Witch to the graveyard. "And I choose to destroy Psychic Snail." Sayer's monster was destroyed and absorbed into Majestic Rose Dragon.

"Now," Akiza said, "Majestic Rose Dragon, attack Magical Android!"

**Majestic Rose Dragon: 5600 ATK**; Magical Android: 0 ATK

Sayer's monster was destroyed again.

Akiza: 1200; Sayer: 0

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: In case you're wondering, I made up Majestic Rose Dragon, since it hasn't been introduced yet in the show, so that's why bolded.

Akiza: This chapter was actually..._good_.

AnimeKiwi369: Thanks-Wait! What's wrong with you?

Akiza: You had me win, I have to be nice after that.

AnimeKiwi369: Oh. Thanks...again. Please be kind, like Akiza's being right now, and reveiw and please be kind when reviewing.


	10. Chapter 10: Covered

AnimeKiwi369: I really hate computers.

Akiza: What does that have to do with this story?

AnimeKiwi369: Nothing, I'm just stating my opinion. Part of this chapter focuses on Akiza, the other part focuses on Yusei. Kind of.

Akiza: Aren't you going to do a disclaimer?

AnimeKiwi369: I was getting to that. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters, I only own the storyline.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 10: Covered

"It's over Sayer. You've lost." Akiza said as their Marks returned to their owners. Sayer laughed evilly.

"You think this is over?" he asked. "I might've lost, but you're still going to pay." Sayer drew another card and played Psychic Sword. He ran towards her, ready to strike. But this time Akiza was ready and moved out of the way as quickly as she could, but Sayer's materialized sword managed to slash her cheek. He then played another card, which she completely dodged.

Akiza felt weak. She had trouble bearing her injuries. Her vision began going in and out again as she felt blood drip down her body. She felt dizzy and she didn't know how much longer she could resist.

_**With the Others**_

They watched as Sayer advanced on Akiza.

"We have to help her!" Yusei told them. They nodded and ran down the hill.

_**With Akiza**_

She dodged again, tripping slightly. Akiza got back up as Sayer took another shot at her. She saw her friends running towards them and he saw them too.

"This is the last straw!" he yelled, and played a card that caused a psychic barrier in front of them, so they couldn't get to them.

"Don't hurt them!" she warned.

"I won't, I just need to make sure that they won't interfere."

"'Won't interfere?'" she repeated.

"That's correct." Sayer told her, "Now good-bye Akiza Izinski." He played another card.

She tried to move, but everything that had happened to her in the past few weeks kept her from moving. Akiza was thrown back against the part of the extension that looked like a clock tower. She heard and felt another painful crack as she hit the brick wall. There was another flash of lightning and rumble of thunder. She felt something wet hit the top of her head, followed by another. Soon more and more drops of rain were falling until it was a very steady rain and all of them were soon soaked. Akiza tried to get up by pushing herself off the ground with her arms, but it was too painful and she grabbed her shoulder. Akiza couldn't move. She could only tremble. Everything hurt. She coughed again, the smoke still not out of her lungs, causing more pain to shoot throughout her body. The pain in her heart and skull remained. She shook uncontrollably. Her skull pounded. Her vision continued to go in and out as she struggled to stay conscious. The rain stung as it hit the burns and cuts on her. She barely recalled seeing Sayer play another card, but she didn't feel anything. She heard another rumble, but it wasn't thunder. She looked up, trying to see what was happening, but got dizzy and her vision blurred, so she couldn't see anything but red mixed with the dismal gray sky.

Akiza heard the rumbling noise again, followed by a crumbling sound. She tried looking up again and saw something fall towards her.

Sayer laughed evilly again, "Nice knowing you, Akiza."

She tried to stand up, but collapsed again. "I hate you." She managed to get out.

"That doesn't matter anymore." He said, "Nothing about you matters anymore."

Akiza faintly heard something drop by her. She tried to feel it, but her arm wouldn't move. She felt something scrape against her nose and landed on her knee. She felt something hard hit her, followed by something a lot heavier and harder. She remembered something hard and heavy cover her.

"Yusei, help me." She said again. After that, everything went black.

_**With the Others**_

"Akiza!" they all shouted. The clock tower-like building was crumbling away due to Sayer's powers and Akiza was right underneath it. She wasn't moving. She looked like she couldn't. The clock tower crumbled away and fell on top of her, covering her until they couldn't see her anymore.

Sayer laughed evilly again. "That's what you get when you become weak." He began to leave the area, letting the barrier that was restraining the others fall. Both Jack and Crow went after Sayer and pinned his arms to his sides before the Arcadia psychic could blink.

"You mess with one of us; you mess with all of us." Crow told him in a hard tone.

"Yusei, we'll hold him until Trudge gets here." Jack informed, but Yusei wasn't listening.

As soon as the barrier keeping him in place was gone, he rushed over to the pile of bricks and dust that covered Akiza. He began to dig through the wreckage, trying to get to Akiza. After everything she had gone through to protect them, she couldn't go like this.

"Yusei!" the twins called.

"Do you need help?" Leo asked.

"Leo, of course he needs help." Luna told him, beginning to help Yusei dig through bricks, glass, and dust; Leo noted what Luna told him and began to help too.

Trudge came up behind Jack, Crow, and Sayer and handcuffed the psychic. Jack and Crow let go when Trudge had Sayer in his grasp.

"Sayer," he announced in his rough voice, "you're under arrest for several attempts at and accounts of murder and the disappearances of residence of New Domino City."

"Is the ambulance here yet?" Jack asked as Crow joined the other three in trying to dig out the psychic Signer.

"It's almost here, Mr. Atlas." Trudge responded.

"Jack, get over here and help!" Crow yelled and the blonde walked over there too.

Yusei had one thought running through his head, _Why didn't I tell her?_ He asked himself over and over. He moved a large piece of brick away and saw one of Akiza's gloved, which was now shredded, hand.

"Guys, I found her!" he told them and they rushed over to his spot on the ground. They continued to move debris quickly off of Akiza.

"Back off a little, you guys." Yusei told them in a low, hurried tone, "Someone go see if the ambulance is here yet." He said once they had gotten enough debris off of her to move her. His friends obeyed and all, but Luna of them went to go wait for the emergency vehicle.

Yusei gently moved Akiza away from the broken bricks and glass and laid her across his lap, keeping her propped up slightly. His eyes widened as he saw all the injuries she had. Rather than look to see if she was breathing, he lowered his head close to her face and heard almost inaudible breaths escape her lips. Yusei gently pulled off a glove and checked her pulse. He let out a frustrated sound.

"Is she…?" Luna asked, gulping as she let the sentence trail off, not wanting to say that dreaded word. But both she and Yusei knew what she meant.

"No," he shook his head, "she had a pulse and is breathing, but both are just barely there." He slowly and delicately stroked her cheek.

The ambulance finally showed up; the paramedics gingerly took Akiza from Yusei's arms and put her on a stretcher, beginning to check over her. They put an oxygen mask on her before the closed the doors to the ambulance and drove off back towards the city.

"I hope she'll be okay." Luna told Yusei in a soft tone as they walked back towards their own vehicles.

"Me too, Luna." He responded quietly. "Me too."

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: Sorry about having another cliffhanger.

Akiza: Will the next chapter be better than this one?

AnimeKiwi369: This chapter isn't bad.

Akiza: It's another cliffhanger.

AnimeKiwi369: So?

Akiza: You're torturing me here. I _need_ to know what happens!

AnimeKiwi369: Read and find out.

Akiza: That's what you always say!

AnimeKiwi369: Please review and please be kind in your reviews.


	11. Chapter 11: Waking Up to Friends

AnimeKiwi369: Not my best chapter title.

Akiza: Will I like this chapter?

AnimeKiwi369: I think so. The chapter, like nearly all the others, focuses on Akiza. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or it's characters, just the story.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 11: Waking Up to Friends

Akiza found herself in a strange place again. But it was different from the other one with the endless white and murmur of voices. This place was completely silent and all black.

She tried calling out, but her voice wouldn't work. She still heard nothing. _Is anyone there?_ _Where am I?_

_Am I dead? _She wondered, and sighed, _It's probably for the best. I can't hurt my friends now. _

Akiza felt nothing. There was no pain. No trembling. Nothing. She tried to move, but her arm wouldn't move. It was like she was paralyzed.

She stood alone in the darkness thinking what had happened in the past few weeks and her life. She had all of eternity to think about them after all if she was dead. Her thoughts drifted to Yusei and she felt tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

_I wish had told him._ She thought dismally, letting the tears fall, _Now he'll never know how much I loved him._

She felt something brush against one of her cheeks, followed by the same feeling on the other and her tears just suddenly disappeared. The feeling had been a gentle move.

_Why did Sayer have to do this to me? If it weren't for that horrible recurring nightmare…_her thought trailed off. _I miss my friends. _

A small bit of light forming in front of her; it was growing rapidly until Black Rose Dragon stood in front of her.

"Mistress," Black Rose Dragon's voice was like velvet, "you are not in the realm of the nonliving."

_Then where am I?_ She wondered; her voice still wasn't working. Nothing would move.

"You are simply just asleep."

_But the last time I was here it was all white and there were voices. _She responded through her mind.

"When you were here last time, you were worried about your powers. But you are not now worried now."

Akiza realized it was true. She hadn't once thought about her powers since she found herself here.

_Then why am I here?_ She wondered.

"You are only here until you're simply rested enough to be able to wake." Her dragon responded.

_When am I able to wake up then? _Akiza demanded, though she still couldn't speak.

Her dragon began fading, "Only you can decide that."

_What do you mean?_ She asked, but her dragon didn't respond. Black Rose Dragon was already gone.

Akiza stayed in the darkness. She didn't know how long she was there paralyzed and alone. She missed her friends. She missed Yusei. Akiza missed everything about Yusei. She missed his eyes, voice, and everything about him. Yusei had always been so kind. She missed how just a few weeks ago he was comforting her, trying to calm her from her nightmare. He had been so warm beneath her hand. In his embrace.

_I want my friends._ Akiza silently said. _I want to see Yusei. _

She saw the surrounding black grow lighter and lighter. Her Mark began glowing again and lifted her arm to see the familiar glow. She realized her arm moved! She wasn't paralyzed anymore in this strange place! The strange place kept getting lighter and lighter. Akiza felt her eyelids flutter slightly and closed her eyes; she stirred a little.

"You guys," she heard Luna's soft voice say, "she's waking up."

Akiza slowly reopened her eyes towards an intensely white ceiling scattered with lights. _I'm awake._ She thought gladly, _I'm back with my friends._ She was lying in a bed, and from the soft sound of a heart monitor and extremely clean conditions, she knew she was in a hospital bed. She felt several things attached to turned her head slowly towards the sound of Luna's voice; to the right. All of them were there. Jack leaned against the far wall and Leo and Crow were sitting on a couch; both Yusei and Luna were sitting by the bed. A wave of relief washed over all of them, a far as she could tell because each of their faces relaxed into small smiles.

"Hey." Akiza said quietly with a small smile on her face as well.

"You scared us, Akiza." Leo told her in an unusually quiet, yet relieved, voice.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"It's all right." Yusei responded in a very gentle tone; he reached out a hand and tenderly stroked her cheek and she winced when it went over the spot where Sayer had slashed it. "Sorry." He apologized, taking his hand away.

"It's not your fault I'm injured." She responded, the pain fading.

"Akiza," Luna started and the injured Signer looked at her, but Luna only looked down and away from her gaze. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. If I had just told the others about what your dragon told me, you wouldn't be in this condition."

"Luna, this isn't your fault." She responded in a soft tone, "So don't blame yourself. Even if you did tell the others, I'd still end up here. I would've followed Sayer either way. I needed to confront him and he was the only way that nightmare would stop. And I'm really sorry I scared you guys."

"It's the past now." Jack said.

"So forget about it, Akiza." Crow told her.

"How long has it been since what Sayer did to me?"

"Two weeks." Leo responded, "I didn't think you were ever going to wake up." Luna didn't scold him; she was still looking down. Akiza looked a little closer and saw that the youngest Signer was crying silently, still feeling terrible about what she didn't say.

She felt bad that Luna felt bad. "Luna, come over here." She commanded.

The young girl obeyed and got out of the chair; she walked closer over to Akiza. The older girl slowly sat up, wincing as she did so from the pain she still felt from Sayer's assault. She ignored the pain again. And she noticed that her left arm was in a sling and her other was completely bandaged, covering her Dragon Claw Mark, and several different tubes and wires attached to it. One of which had blood flowing through it into her; she did have get a lot of cuts, so she lost blood because of it. Akiza leaned over and put her right arm around the younger girl, pulling her in a one-arm hug.

"Don't blame yourself," she repeated, "This is my fault, not anyone else's. I wasn't thinking; I only wanted that nightmare to stop. I didn't let anyone help me. You guys are my friends and I should've let you help me. And I should have just told you guys what was wrong. Besides, there's no use blaming yourself. I'm fine now. Well…mostly fine. But I'm alive and that's what matters."

"I guess you're right." Luna responded as Akiza let go of her and laid back down on the hospital bed.

"Did we just see Akiza being _nice_?" Jack asked in a sarcastic tone. She glared at him for several seconds before she turned her eyes back to the ceiling.

"Back off, Jack." Yusei told him.

"Thanks, Yusei." She said quietly.

"It's no problem, Akiza." he responded, gingerly stroking her hair and she felt a blush begin to form.

She looked around a little, "Where are my deck and duel disk?"

"It took them back to the apartment and put them in your room." Luna told her.

"How did you guys know where to find me?"

"I followed you when you ran out of the apartment." Luna said quietly.

"And she found this." Yusei continued, handing her a small card. It read: 'If you want to see Akiza one last time, then come to the old lighthouse building outside the city limits. —Sayer'

"How bad am I hurt?" she asked.

"Several cracked and broken ribs, a concussion, a small crack at you right temple, dislocated shoulder, severely sprained ankle, a sprained kneecap, a scrape along your nose and cuts, burns, and bruises all along your body. Some more severe than others." Yusei informed her. "There were a few cuts that had become gashes along your arms and legs. There was even a couple along your sides. And that slash on your cheek. That fire even got a couple pieces of your hair."

Akiza noticed she was covered in bandages and she carefully touched her slashed cheek. She felt stitches and she winced again as she touched it. She began to feel her hair and felt that a couple pieces were burnt. Her hand briefly brushed against Yusei's, causing her blush to deepen a little.

"But that's just now." Crow said. "When we got here, the doctors had already put you in emergency surgery to save you."

"What?" she exclaimed a little too loud causing her to start coughing again. Yusei put a hand on her good shoulder when she was able to breathe again.

"Don't try to do too much." He told her softly, "You've only been breathing on your own for a couple days."

"Breathing on my own?" she repeated.

Yusei nodded, "Yeah, the paramedics had you on oxygen before they got you to the hospital. You were barely breathing and barely had a pulse when we got you out from that pile of rubble." He told her, "In the past two weeks, you've had three major surgeries."

"'Three'?" she repeated.

"Yeah," Jack responded, "One to stop the internal bleeding, one to repair the damage to your heart, and one to fix your spine."

"If you didn't have that last surgery, the doctors said that you'd be permanently paralyzed." Luna informed.

"I'm surprised I'm not dead." Akiza commented quietly.

"Some of the doctors were too." Jack said and the others glared at him.

"Maybe our bonds are stronger than we realize." Yusei suggested.

"Maybe." She agreed, beginning to feel tired again. "I'm glad you guys were the first I got to see when I woke up from that short coma." Akiza closed her eyes, feeling contented, and fell into a peaceful sleep, still feeling Yusei stroking her hair.

_I'll tell him once we're alone, _she thought, _and once I'm out of this hospital. And I will tell him soon._

_

* * *

_

AnimeKiwi369: Well...?

Akiza: Maybe you're not so bad an author after all.

AnimeKiwi369: Thanks! Hey! Wait a minute. What is that supposed to mean?

Akiza: I liked the chapter.

AnimeKiwi369: Oh. Please be kind and please review.

Akiza: And please review kindly.

AnimeKiwi369: Thanks. What she said. Please be kind in reviewing.


	12. Chapter 12: Aftermath

AnimeKiwi369: Sigh.

Akiza: What?

AnimeKiwi369: Almost finished. This is the last chapter.

Akiza: Will I approve of this last chapter?

AnimeKiwi369: *Grins* I think you'll like this chapter very, very much.

Akiza: What is that supposed-

AnimeKiwi369: Read and find out! How many times do I have to say that?

Akiza: Until I feel like not saying it.

AnimeKiwi369: This final chapter focuses on Akiza and a little bit on Luna and Yusei. Oh, this chapter has another dream. So when the text becomes italics, someone's either thinking or it's a dream. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters, I only own this storyline.

* * *

A Rose's Nightmare

Chapter 12: Aftermath

Akiza spent three more weeks trapped in that hospital. Much to her annoyance; she really wanted to tell Yusei how she felt. But spending so much time thinking, she thought about different ways to tell him. Nearly everything was healed. But the gashes in her arms, legs, sides and the one on her cheek were still stitched up, although they had already formed almost invisible scars. And her ribcage wasn't completely healed either. She was still exhausted from everything that had happened, however, and rested for most of the day. Now it had been ten weeks since the nightmares had begun and five weeks since they just stopped. The other Signers and Leo visited her each day. Yusei and Luna both almost always stayed longer than the others did. Luna still felt kind of bad about not telling the others and Yusei was still a little worried about the psychic. Akiza slept peacefully again her unconscious thoughts drifting to Yusei as they often did nowadays.

She felt something against her hair again; by now she was used to this feeling. Her eyes twitched a little and she slowly opened them, turning her head a little towards what she felt against her hair, though she was still tired. It looked like early morning.

"You're too nice to me, Yusei." She told him, smiling a little, nearly getting lost in those gorgeous eyes of his.

"Maybe I am, but maybe I'm not." He responded, also smiling a little, as he continued to stroke her hair. "I'm just glad you're all right."

She looked at the room. It was just Yusei in the room with her. "Where are the others?"

"Waiting back at the apartment." Yusei told her, "The nurse told me that you're healed enough to come back home. After she takes the stitches out that is."

"Home." She whispered, the word bringing a smile to her lips and several tears to her eyes. "I have a home. With my friends."

"Akiza, what's wrong?" he asked, coming closer. He dried her tears and stroked her cheek, careful not to brush his hand over the stitches on it.

"Nothing, Yusei." She responded, sitting up and throwing her arms around his neck, "Nothing is wrong. Everything is wonderful." Yusei delicately put his arms around her. They heard the door open and Akiza detached herself form the dark-haired Signer, lying back down on the bed.

"Miss Izinski," the nurse said, "It's time to take out those stitches. Then you're free to leave."

Akiza cringed a little as the nurse took out what was needed to take out the stitches. She wasn't looking forward to this. Yusei seemed to read her mind and took her hand, giving it a light reassuring squeeze. She was surprised feeling his hand in hers and even more surprised when he lightly squeezed it in a reassuring way. _Does he feel the same way?_ She wondered, _Even if he doesn't, I'll tell him how I feel. I'm not afraid of disappointment anymore; I know I'll be a little sad at first, but I know we'll always be friends._

"I'll be just outside when you're ready to go." Yusei told her and she nodded ever so slightly.

The nurse effortlessly and skillfully removed the stitches in her legs and arms; none of them hurt being taken out. Akiza looked at her Mark; the same perfectly smooth claw pattern imprinted in her skin permanently was still there, despite having had a deep gash over it. The nurse asked her to lift the hospital gown, so she could remove the stitches on her sides and she was glad that Yusei wasn't in there when she obeyed the nurse. Akiza winced slightly as the nurse's hands took out the stitches that were there over her still-injured ribcage. The only set of stitches that hurt to be taken out themselves were the ones on her cheek and she had to clutch the bedding of the hospital bed to keep from crying out in pain.

"There you go Miss Izinski." The nurse told her as the stitch was removed, "You're free to go once you get dressed. Your clothes are over there." She pointed to the couch before she left the room. "And take it easy for a few more weeks."

Akiza nodded and dressed as quickly as she could, getting used to moving again. She felt stiff and still hurt a little. She held the energy stabilizer in her hands, just staring at it, for a few minutes. She tossed it in the trash, deciding she didn't need it anymore. She brushed her long red burgundy bangs back away from face into her hair with her fingers, followed by brushing her hair with her fingers, which had gotten a couple inches longer. She walked out of the hospital, stumbling a couple times, having not walked in several weeks.

Yusei was waiting by his duel runner and smiled a little when he turned around and saw her. Akiza smiled back as she reached him.

"I see you survived getting stitches removed." He commented, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Yeah." She responded quietly. "I guess."

"Don't worry; it's only bad the first time. Not the second, third, or… tenth." He told her with a small grin. She stared incredulously at him, and he continued, "Jack, Crow, Kalin, and I were a bit rough when we were younger." For the first time since she came out, Yusei saw Akiza wasn't wearing the energy stabilizer, but didn't comment on it. "Come on." He said, grabbing her hand and taking her over to his runner. Yusei handed her a spare helmet.

"You want me to get on your…runner?" she asked.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall." He reassured as he placed his helmet on his head and mounted his runner. Akiza was a little uneasy, but she put the helmet on and mounted behind Yusei. She wrapped her arms around his waist. He revved the engine to his runner and they sped away from the hospital towards the Tops. He stopped his runner and dismounted; Yusei helped her from the runner and she stumbled a little getting off, falling against his chest. Akiza straightened herself, trying not to blush. She remembered a question that she had back at the hospital.

"Yusei, how did my clothes get to the hospital?"

"Luna went through your stuff and got what you needed. She brought it to the hospital this morning, but she didn't stay. She still feels bad that she didn't tell us sooner."

"Oh." She responded and followed Yusei as he walked towards the elevator. Akiza stumbled a bit again.

"Let me help." Yusei said as he noticed her slight trouble walking. He put his arm around her shoulder, guiding her into the elevator. Both were quiet as the elevator went up to the top floor. Akiza fought the blush she felt form on her face. The doors to the elevator opened and they stepped out into the apartment. The others were outside, having a tag duel. Akiza felt a wave of tiredness again; she moved away from Yusei and moved towards the stairs.

"I'm going to go rest for a little bit." She told him, starting to go up the stairs.

"All right, then." He responded, standing near the stairs, "You know where to find me if you need anything."

"I know." She said, "You don't have to worry."

"I know," he said back, "it's just that I care about you."

Akiza stopped in her tracks. He had said he cared about her. She gripped the banister slightly and back up a few stairs, so she was across from him.

"I care about you too." Akiza told him quietly; she carefully leaned over banister and kissed Yusei's cheek, on top of his marker. She slowly took her lips away and smiled at him before she went up the stairs to her room. When she had left, Yusei touched his marker, still feeling Akiza's soft lips there. _She feels the same._ He thought.

Akiza walked into her room. It was just the way she had left it. She closed the door and decided to change into her nightgown. She crawled under the covers and closed her eyes. She wasn't afraid to sleep anymore and was glad when she did dream that perfect dream.

_Akiza and Yusei walked outside into a garden, holding hands with their fingers laced together. It was evening and the moon and stars were shining brightly. Both gazed at the sky, mesmerized. She laid her head on his shoulder and smiled at him. He smiled back at her put his head on top of hers._

"_I don't think there's ever been a night more lovely." He commented. _

"_Me either." She responded, "This night is just perfect."_

_Yusei spotted a rose and plucked it from the bush; he presented it to Akiza. She took the rose and inhaled its sweet scent. It was red; her favorite kind of rose. She carefully touched its delicate, silky petals. _

"_It's beautiful, Yusei." She told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love it."_

"_I thought you would, but nothing, not even a rose or the stars, can compare to your beauty."_

"_You're sweet." She responded as she laid her head against his warm, muscular chest. He stroked her hair briefly before he wrapped his arms around her waist. _

"_Maybe." He said. _

_Akiza pulled back from him and stared into his own handsome face and gorgeous eyes. _

"_I love, Yusei Fudo." She admitted, "And I always will."_

_He gently tipped her chin, pulling her up slightly, "Akiza Izinski, I love you, too. And I will for as long as I live." _

_Yusei leaned down and placed his lips gently on top of Akiza's. She felt a wonderful electric sensation shoot throughout her body. She kissed him back, not wanting it to end. His lips were warm and smooth like the petals on the rose. Eventually, they pulled away, gasping for breath. Their arms were still wrapped around each other. Akiza leaned into his grasp, placing her head back on his chest. _

"_I love you." He whispered, laying his head on top of hers. _

"_I love you, too." She whispered back and repeated, "Tonight's been perfect."_

Akiza slowly opened her eyes towards the ceiling of her room.

"A perfect dream." She said to herself with a smile. She laid there for a few more minutes before she got up. She looked at the clock: 7:08 p.m. She took a warm shower and dressed. There was a small knock at her door as she finished pulling on her short black dress. Her door opened and Luna was there.

"Are you coming, Akiza?" she asked a little timidly.

"Yeah," she responded, "I actually just got up a little while ago. I just need to finish getting dressed."

"Oh. All right." Luna said as she tried to leave.

"Wait, Luna." She commanded in a soft tone and the younger girl obeyed. Luna walked back into the room. "Keep me company."

"Um…okay." The young girl responded and came and sat on the older girls' bed.

Akiza pulled on her black stockings and gloves, covering the burns and scars Sayer's trap had given her. She put on her read choker she normally wore as well as the red high heels.

"You look pretty." Luna commented quietly as the psychic ran a brush through her hair.

"Thanks, Luna." She responded and looked at the younger girl. She was looking down again. Akiza walked over and sat down next to the younger girl. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I still just feel really bad about not telling anyone." The younger girl responded, with a few more tears running down her face, "Then you wouldn't be hurt."

"Luna, I told you," Akiza started, "it's okay. _I_ should've been the one to tell you guys what was wrong. I don't mind; I would've followed Sayer if only to have that nightmare stop. I forgive that you didn't tell anyone. You didn't know how to tell them. And, Luna, you were the one that found that note that said where I was and went and got the others. You're the one who saved me, Luna. If you hadn't followed me, I'd be dead, with no one even knowing until it was too late. So, despite that you didn't tell the others, you still saved me. And I'll always be glad of that."

"I guess you're right." She responded, drying her tears.

"So, stop beating yourself up over this."

Luna looked up at the older girl, "I will." She said, "You've changed since what happened."

"I have." Akiza told her and stood, "Now shouldn't we be going downstairs?"

"Yeah." She responded, standing too. But Luna didn't move towards the door. Instead she moved over to Akiza and wrapped arms around the older girls' waist lightly, hugging her. The older female Signer reciprocated.

"He feels the same about you, you know." Luna said, speaking into the other girls' side. "I've seen the way he looks at you. Yusei really loves you. He was more worried than I was during your surgeries. But I'll keep your secret. At least, until you tell him."

"Thanks, but you won't have to keep that secret long." Akiza told her, "And thanks for bringing my clothes to the hospital this morning."

"You're welcome." Luna said with a smile, "Let's go join the others."

"Let's."

Akiza and Luna walked down the stairs where the boys were patiently waiting.

"There you two are." Crow commented.

"Finally!" Leo exclaimed, "I thought I was going to go hungry!"

"Leo, you're always eating!" Luna retorted, "You could never go hungry."

The others laughed a little and went to the table. After dinner, they did separate things. Akiza walked outside and looked at the sky, like she and Yusei had in her dream. That wonderful, perfect dream. She felt someone come up beside her.

"Thinking about something?" Yusei asked.

"Nothing really." She responded.

"Did you rest well?"

"Very." She said with a smile.

"You know, you're really beautiful when you smile." He commented, "And it's nice to see that beautiful face of yours again."

She felt a blush form on her face. "Thanks."

"You look really nice with your hair like that." He commented.

"Thanks." She repeated.

"I was really worried about you and I felt I might've lost you. I was really glad when we found out you were going to be all right."

"Luna told me." She moved a little closer to him, "I'm really glad that you've helped me. With everything. Especially with that nightmare."

"It's no problem. I'm just glad you let me help you."

Akiza moved even closer to him, "Me too." She whispered.

"Akiza, back there, during your duel, something that Sayer said about your…savior…"

"Yes, Yusei?"

"Is it true what he said about me being it?"

"Yes."

"And what Luna said about you accidentally killing me in that nightmare you had?"

"Yes." She repeated and took a deep breath. She looked at him and walked in front of him, so she faced him and placed her hands on his chest. "Yusei, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time."

"What is it, Akiza?"

She leaned up and placed her lips on his briefly. When she took them away, Akiza looked into those gorgeous eyes of his, "Yusei Fudo, I love you."

He didn't looked shocked; Yusei just simply gave her a soft smile and kissed her lips, like she had just done, and looked into her beautiful eyes, "The thing is, Akiza Izinski, I love you, too."

They looked at each other for a minute, smiles playing on their lips. Akiza leaned up again and Yusei leaned down again, and after a while their lips met. His lips were warm and smooth, like in her dream and her lips were soft and silky to him. Just like in her dream, Akiza felt an electric sensation shoot throughout her and Yusei felt the same sensation hit his system. Their kiss deepened a little and they eventually pulled away to catch their breath. Akiza leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and Yusei wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I love you." He repeated.

"I love you, too." She said, laying her head against his shoulder. "I wouldn't trade these powers for anything."

"Why?"

"Because I have you."

"I'll always be here for you." Yusei told her tenderly.

"I know, Yusei." Akiza responded, "I know."

He pulled her back and they kissed again, with the stars watching overhead. The nightmare that had once frightened Akiza and worried Yusei and the others was now a distant memory as both of them lost track of time with the other. The Akiza and Yusei were together and that was all that mattered.

* * *

AnimeKiwi369: Don't you all just love happy endings?

Akiza: You were wrong.

AnimeKiwi369: What about?

Akiza: That I would like how this story ended. But I don't like it...I love it!

AnimeKiwi369: *Grins* Told you. Please be kind and please review my final chapter and be kind in reviewing please. And THANK YOU to everyone that has reviewed. My next story will probably be 'STARGAZING', but it probably won't be up for a day or two. There will be a sequel to this, but I'm still working on it. And a few others. I like to start posting when I'm about halfway through or completed. Anyway...PLEASE REVIEW!


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